City Hall, reduce your parking charges

By Darshan Singh Dhillon

The Malaysia Consumers Movement (MCM) notes with disappointment Kuala Lumpur City Hall’s decision to drastically increase parking fees at several hotspots around the city.

While City Hall’s effort to discourage vehicles coming into the city, especially single-occupant vehicles, is lauded, this policy when implemented may potentially cause greater problems than benefit.

As such, it is recommended that the increase is done gradually and not with an immediate 100-200% hike, as was announced by City Hall.

The mayor has stated that this move is not profit driven, but looking at the quantum of increase, it is difficult to think otherwise.

City Hall must appreciate the fact that consumers are still adjusting to cost of living issues and this increase will not do any good. Agreed that congestion in and around the city can be unbearable, but unless the public transport system is up to the standard, as that in developed countries, consumers will have no other option but to drive.

On the other hand, while we continue to hear businesses lamenting about poor sales and negative growth, this policy has the potential to further aggravate the situation.

With the high parking costs aggravated by a not very efficient public transport system, people may shy away from these retail hubs. At a time when the government is exploring ways to stimulate domestic spending, this announcement is regressive.

The MCM commends the government for doing a great job to improve and upgrade the public transport system, which includes the construction of the MRT, but such a high parking rate increase should only be considered once the public transport infrastructure is fully complete and operational.

Until then, the MCM calls on City Hall to review this quantum of increase.

Darshan Singh Dhillon is the president of the Malaysia Consumers Movement (MCM).

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