Only 55% of businesses complying with MPAJ rent-a-bay parking policy

SOME 55% of automotive-related businesses in Ampang Jaya, Selangor have complied with a policy requiring them to rent designated parking bays, four months after the ruling took effect.

The rule, which came into force last August, requires vehicle workshops, car wash centres and accessory shops to rent between two and three designated bays in front of their premises.

According to Ampang Jaya Municipal Council (MPAJ), 282 out of an estimated 500 businesses have adhered to the ruling so far.

“The council’s Revenue Department distributed application forms for the designated parking bays door-to-door to relevant shops.

“Operators and owners were advised to submit applications for rental of designated parking bays to avoid restrictions on the renewal of their business licences,” MPAJ said in a statement to StarMetro.

A workshop operator in the Pandan Indah commercial area, identified only as Liew, welcomed the move, noting that such businesses required adequate space to operate efficiently.

“Workshops need more parking bays, so having designated bays helps with comfort and safety,” said Liew, who has been operating in the area for 10 years.

However, Liew suggested having discounted rates or allocation of additional bays to make the policy more practical.

Shop operators with larger premises say they need more bays due to the nature of their business.

“I have a corner shop, but I am only allowed to rent two parking bays. Realistically, we need more.”

He added that he was currently paying RM480 monthly for two bays, with payments made on a quarterly basis.

Under the policy, monthly rental for a standard designated bay outlined in red is RM240.

Including a 6% service tax, the total comes to RM254.40.

A 24-hour bay costs RM500 monthly, or RM530 after tax.

A RM50 processing fee applies to both new applications and renewals.

Pandan Indah regular Mohd Aiman Mohd Shahlan, 34, said the policy would deter operators from hogging the bays.

“The rental policy is necessary because some operators occupy multiple parking bays without paying,” he said.

“When I am in Pandan Indah, I sometimes look for parking elsewhere because if I park in front of a workshop without a reserved bay, I worry that it might obstruct their operations,” he said.

A recent check by StarMetro in the Pandan Indah and Pandan Perdana commercial areas showed a pattern of only a handful of businesses adhering to the ruling.

Several other businesses were found to be operating without red-lined parking bays.

MPAJ said enforcement action would be implemented in stages to check on premises that had yet to comply with the directive.

It added that standard designated parking bays were reserved for operators from Monday to Friday, from 8am to 6.30pm. Outside these hours, including weekends and public holidays, the bays remain open for public use.