Bitter pill to swallow after dinner

Bitter pill to swallow after dinner

THREE people who went for dinner at an eatery in Tanjung Tokong, Penang, were shocked to find the wheels of their cars chained up at a food court car park.

They had to pay RM100 to a man, believed to be the food court proprietor, to unlock the chains during the 11pm incident.

One of them, Clement Goh, 41, owned up to their mistake of parking at the car park, which was reserved for the food court customers, even though they were not having meals at the outlet.

However, he was furious at the charges imposed as “the amount was tantamount to those imposed by the Penang Municipal Council to remove wheel clamps.”

He added that the alleged proprietor had wanted to collect RM150 (RM50 for each car) from them before the ‘fine’ was reduced to RM100.
Tough measures: (Top to bottom) A banner at the food court car park warning motorists about the parking house rule; a car being chained up at the car park.

His colleague Benny Chen, 28, alleged that the proprietor had waited to “nail” them as several parking attendants did not even bother to alert them upon seeing them leaving the food court area after parking their cars.

He said they did not see several posters and banners which stated that those who did not patronise the food court but parked their cars at the parking bays would have their cars chained up.

“We would have moved our cars away if we were aware of the posters and banners.

“I do not mind paying the ‘fine’ but it was way too high and unacceptable,” he said of the incident on Sunday night.

A check with the food court owner, who declined to be named, said the move was taken on the advice of his lawyers.

“I have placed eight banners and posters at the parking bays to inform the public that the parking space is only meant for my customers.

“I would only chain up the cars after more than one hour.

“My business is affected as a result of certain people who parked their cars and ate somewhere else. This is not fair to me,” he said.

Penang Local Government and Traffic Management Committee chairman Chow Kon Yeow said private car park operators can implement their own house rule, on the condition that they adhered to the Penang Municipal Council’s guidelines of having sufficient lighting and closed-circuit television cameras (CCTVs).

George Town OCPD Asst Comm Gan Kong Meng urged those who felt they had been short-changed to lodge a police report.

“We will launch an investigation once we receive a police report,” he said.

A Consumers Association of Penang (CAP) spokesman said to date, there were no proper guidelines regulating private car parks in the state.

“Now, these car park (operators) can do what they like and that is not right.

“It is possible that the signs put up by the car park owner were not clearly visible at night and there should have been someone there to take care of the cars and warn drivers,” he said.

The spokesman added that drivers should have to pay for parking, but clear regulations needed to be made known to them.

~News courtesy of The Star~