KL mayor: No more clamping of vehicles in the city … for now

KUALA LUMPUR: Mayor Tan Sri Mohd Amin Nordin Abd Aziz has agreed to suspend clamping operations in the city with immediate effect pending a meeting with Kuala Lumpur MPs next Wednesday (May 30).

Mohd Amin said that it was a request by the MPs following a meeting they had with parking operators a few days ago.

Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) outsources its parking contract to Yayasan Wilayah Persekutuan (YWP), which in turn hires parking contractor Vista Summerose to do the job.

Yayasan Wilayah Persekutuan is the welfare arm of the Federal Territories Ministry.

“So on Monday, we won’t be clamping any vehicles but I do anticipate some problems as people will be parking everywhere and obstructing since there will be no enforcement,” said Mohd Amin.

He added that if the MPs didn't want the current operator, then DBKL would have to review the contracts in terms of compensation.

“It is not going to be so easy to stop it,” he said.

DBKL has been urged to suspend the parking contract that was awarded to YWP on the grounds that the local authority did not call for an open tender.

Kepong MP Lim Lip Eng had said that if the contract was awarded on unreasonable grounds, then it must be reviewed.

He proposed that DBKL put on hold the collection of parking fees for the time being.

When contacted, Vista Summerose managing director Datuk Nik Haidi Nik Mohamad said that he was notified of the mayor's decision (to suspend clamping) and will abide by it.

Nok Haidi however expressed concern over the decision, saying that public respect for traffic will deteriorate in the long run.

“Clamping is a good way to educate people as it deters them from breaking the law,” he said, adding that such enforcement methods would prevent vehicles from parking haphazardly.

When asked what would happen if the mayor is forced to terminate the contract, Nik Haidi said, “Two things here. Firstly, DBKL would have to pay compensation to the contractor, which is almost RM100mil.

“Secondly, what is their alternative? They still have to hire someone else with the technology to the job and it not as easy as it seems,” he added.

Nik Haidi said of the 250,000 cars (at different times) which park in the city every day, only 80,000 pay for parking. The remaining 170,000 do not pay for parking.

“I believe we have done a good job so far; it is a pity that people don’t see that,” Nik Haidi said.