MPAJ has replaced the two-hour parking limit at the Ampang Point commercial area with a gated system.
AMPANG Jaya’s two-hour “hot zone” parking was dropped in early 2024 after proving to be too manpower-intensive.
The system had been introduced at the Ampang Point commercial district along Jalan Memanda in February 2023.
The local council subsequently implemented a gated parking system which it said was easier to monitor.
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Ampang Jaya Municipal Council (MPAJ) deputy president Hasrolnizam Shamsudin said parking demand in the business area was different from other commercial zones, as many people worked in offices there and parked for long hours.
“We no longer have the two-hour parking system,” he said.
He explained that the system was difficult to enforce due to a lack of officers.
Hasrolnizam says MPAJ no longer has the two-hour parking system after scrapping it in 2024.
Hasrolnizam said MPAJ has no plans to implement it elsewhere in the municipality for now.
“We find that gated parking is better here as it gives motorists more flexibility,” he said.
Motorists pay RM1 for the first two hours and 50sen for each subsequent hour on weekdays from 8am to 8pm, capped at RM7 a day.
Parking from 8pm to 8am as well as on weekends and public holidays, is at a flat rate of RM2 per entry.
The charges are more than the 50sen per hour for on-street parking.
Several Selangor local councils introduced two-hour parking to free up bays in busy commercial areas.
Subang Jaya, Petaling Jaya and Shah Alam city councils as well as Selayang municipal council are still enforcing the two-hour parking system.
In Petaling Jaya, it is set to be expanded to other areas including Section 1, Section 3, SS20, SS22 and SS2 in 2026.
Petaling Jaya mayor Mohamad Zahri Samingon said the two-hour parking limit would be implemented in phases next year.
“It will focus on popular commercial areas,” he said.
“Once the two-hour limit is up, motorists must vacate the bay.
Mohamad Zahri says MBPJ will implement more two-hour parking in different parts of the city.
“They can only return to the same bay after an hour.”
Currently, 1,156 bays in SS21 (Damansara Uptown), Section 14, Section 52 (PJ State) and PJU5 (Dataran Sunway) are designated for two-hour parking, with motorists paying 60sen for every half-hour, double the normal rate of 60sen for one hour.
Mohamad Zahri said a total of 16,903 compounds had been issued for misuse since the two-hour parking limit was introduced in April 2023.
The number jumped to 51,000 in 2024, and as of August 2025, Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) has slapped 22,356 compounds on motorists.
The two-hour parking system is seeing encouraging results in Selayang too.
A Selayang Municipal Council (MPS) spokesperson said the initiative received positive feedback, especially in high-density areas such as Bandar Baru Selayang and Pekan Rawang.
“More people are able to use these bays compared to normal parking because of the two-hour limit.
“It has also helped reduce congestion in busy spots where there are banks,” said the spokesperson.
Currently, there are 66 designated bays in the municipality.
According to MPS, an average of four different vehicles could use the same bay in a single day based on the two-hour parking system.
When time runs out, motorists are barred from using the bays again that day, the spokesperson said, adding that enforcement measures included detecting violations, investigation, prosecution and regular monitoring.
MPS issued 22 compounds in 2023, rising sharply to 3,343 in 2024 and 1,806 recorded so far in 2025.
“This initiative has met its original aim, which was to prevent vehicles from occupying bays for long hours in busy areas,” the spokesperson said, adding that MPS was open to expanding the scheme to other busy locations if needed. — By SHALINI RAVINDRAN and BAVANI M
