MBIP enforcement officers removing chairs and tables illegally placed at parking bays in Taman Ungku Tun Aminah. — Courtesy pic
CONSIDER allowing eatery operators to place tables and chairs on parking bays outside their premises, a councillor with Iskandar Puteri City Council (MBIP) has proposed.
Skudai Baru zone councillor Lim Soon Hai said MBIP could impose charges on those who chose to put tables and chairs at parking bays.
“The move, if implemented, could generate revenue for MBIP,” he said.
Lim said the charges imposed could be based either on the number of tables and chairs placed outside the eateries or the number of parking bays utilised.
He said he had received feedback from restaurant operators who were willing to pay for this facility.
The majority of customers, he said, preferred sitting outside when patronising outlets such as 24-hour restaurants or neighbourhood food courts.
Lim: Facility could generate revenue for the city council.
When contacted, Iskandar Puteri mayor Datuk Mohd Haffiz Ahmad said the city council had no plans to allow eatery operators to use parking bays as dining areas.
He acknowledged that some local authorities in Johor, Selangor and Perak allowed operators within their jurisdictions to place tables and chairs outside their premises.
“Eateries are being charged for either per table or per square foot of the parking area utilised by them,” said Mohd Haffiz.
However, he cautioned that such a move could backfire.
“Imagine if there were untoward accidents such as drivers ramming into diners,” he said.
Mohd Haffiz said if this were to happen, MBIP could be hauled to court for giving permission for outdoor dining at parking bays.
“Another issue is lack of parking for diners as the bays would be occupied by tables and chairs,” he said.
