EATERIES in Iskandar Puteri, Johor, are now allowed to place their tables and chairs in parking bays outside their premises.
Mayor Datuk Mohd Haffiz Ahmad (pic) said that since October, the city council had allowed the use of parking bays for alfresco dining.
“However, approval will only be given if the eateries’ immediate neighbours (other eatery operators) don’t object to them placing their tables and chairs at the parking bays,” he said after the Iskandar Puteri City Council (MBIP) full board meeting at Menara MBIP.
Mohd Haffiz said a RM30 charge would be imposed on every table placed outside eatery premises.
“They can only start placing the tables and chairs from 6pm, when the charges for our parking bays end, until midnight,” he added.
Mohd Haffiz said that for hawkers operating at open-air carparks like Dataran Niaga@Jalan Camar in Taman Perling, Johor Baru, the charge for each table was RM10.
On an unrelated matter, he said the council had extended the opening hours of Mutiara Rini Urban Forest on Saturdays and Sundays.
He said the park’s opening hours from Mondays to Fridays remained from 6am to 7pm, while on Saturdays and Sundays, it would be open until 10pm.
“We are looking at public response and will consider extending the opening hours daily,” he said, adding that he hoped more people would visit the park on Saturdays and Sundays for exercise.
Starting this month, 10 food trucks will operate at the park’s parking bays from 4pm to 10pm daily, according to Mohd Haffiz.
On the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ), he said, “We are upbeat that it will bring positive impact to Iskandar Puteri, including creating job opportunities for locals and growth prospects for small and medium-sized enterprises.”
