Singapore workers hogging bays in JB

Malaysians working in Singapore start parking their cars as early as 5am at Taman Bukit Indah in Johor Baru.

MALAYSIANS working in Singapore are hogging parking bays at commercial areas in Taman Bukit Indah, Johor Baru, say business owners there.

Operators said their customers are having difficulty finding vacant bays, as they are all taken up by those working across the Causeway.

Iskandar Puteri City Council (MBIP) Skudai Baru Zone councillor Lim Soon Hai said Malaysians working in the republic usually parked their cars there as early as 5am.

“Early in the morning, you will see the parking bays are full although businesses only start to operate from 7am onwards.”

A multi-storey carpark will be built on vacant land near Granada Hotel.

Lim said the workers would only return from Singapore after 10pm.

He said the only days the parking bays were free were on Sundays and Singaporean public holidays.

“When I go for meetings with business owners operating in Jalan Indah 15/3, I have problems finding parking and have to make up to three rounds to find a vacant bay.”

Lim said he attended a meeting with 13 representatives of the area’s food and beverage businesses, beauty salons, pharmacies, reflexology centres and motorcycle shops to address the issue.

Lim says lack of parking can lead to loss of customers.

“The representatives expressed their disappointment with the workers who park from 5am to 10pm as their customers were inconvenienced.”

“If the parking issue is not resolved, the businesses may lose their customers.”

Mayor Datuk Mohd Haffiz Ahmad said MBIP was aware of the issue and plans were already in the pipeline to construct a multi-storey carpark near the area.

“We have just received approval to use the vacant site near Granada Hotel for the project.”

Mohd Haffiz says carpark will be ready in 2026.

Mohd Haffiz said work on the project was expected to start next year.

It is scheduled for completion in 2026.