Klang council blames slip-up for Saturday parking fees on signboard

KLANG: Klang Municipal Council (MPK) does not impose parking charges on Saturday.

Its president, Noraini Roslan, clarified the matter after new signboards were installed in the town's commercial areas stating that motorists would be charged 50 sen per hour from 8am to 1pm.

The council has 37,700 on-street parking bays in the municipality.

"I believe it was a miscommunication. MPK does not impose parking fees on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays.

"Contractors who had put up 19 boards with the Saturday parking fees have rectified the slip-up by covering the charges for Saturday with yellow tape," she said, adding motorists would only have to pay for parking from 8am to 6.30pm, Monday to Friday.

Noraini said the move not to impose a fee on council-owned parking bays was to draw more domestic tourists on weekends to Klang.

"We want to ensure more visitors can drive into Klang without worries about parking fees, enjoy shopping and support businesses in the town centre.

"We have found that when people are not charged for street parking, they tend to spend a longer time in town," she said.

Accountant Wong Mei Yin, who worked in Taman Berkeley, said it was good to see that MPK had rectified the mistake printed on a new board at Jalan Bangau.

"I work on Saturdays, so it is a relief that I do not need to pay for parking," she said.

Cafe owner Ah Kiong, 35, said he has many customers who drove from Petaling Jaya to enjoy the food at Bandar Bukit Tinggi.

"I see more business on weekends, and this is good for Klang’s economy," he said.

MPK councillor for Bandar Sultan Suleiman and Bagan Hailam, Lee Fu Haw, said not charging for parking on Saturday had been a boon for small businesses in Klang.

Shah Alam City Council (MBSA) Corporate Communications director Mohd Azhar Mohd Sharif said the council did not charge for street parking on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays.

"We charge a parking fee of 60sen per hour from 8am to 5pm, Monday to Friday."

Subang Jaya City Council’s (MSBJ) Corporate Communications Division spokesman said the council did not charge for parking on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays.

"We charge a parking fee of 50 sen for every half an hour from 8am to 6.30pm, Monday to Friday."

Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) Corporate Communications Department assistant director Ahmad Iskandar Mohamad Mukhtar said the council did not require motorists to pay on weekends and public holidays.

"We charge 60 sen for an hour or part thereof, from 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday," he said.