Parking attendants hit hard under new system

Parking attendants will be hard hit when the new coupon-based parking system is implemented next year.

GEORGE TOWN: Parking attendants have demanded that the Penang Municipal Council (MPPP) to give a 40% commission instead of 5% under coupon-based parking system to be implemented on Jan 1.

A spokesman of the group, Hassan Abdul Majid, said the 5% commission offered for selling parking coupons by the new parking operator, Perkhidmatan Alam Indah Sdn Bhd, was unfair and would kill off their livelihood.

Hassan has already lodged a report with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) to investigate the alleged closed tender process undertaken by the council to award the parking contract to Alam Indah.

About 20 parking attendants, led by Hassan, held a 30-minute protest outside the Penang Legislative Assembly House against the new parking system.

The protest was against the state government and the council for pushing through the new system without considering the current tender-based individual operators and their employees.

This is the second time the attendants have protested against the new system, with the first one in October.

Hassan said the new coupon would affect the livelihood of about 300 parking operators and attendants.

Under the current system, about 30 operators have been covering 80 public parking areas on the island, with each attendant earning more than RM1,500 per month.

The council had told these attendants to engage Alam Indah from next year to earn their income via a 5% commission from sale of parking coupons.

“We should get 40% commission, only then can it match our current income,” Hassan told newsmen.

He said the DAP-helmed Pakatan Rakyat state government was being inconsiderate and not helping the low-income group.

“I’m sure the DAP would fall the next time if it goes on ignoring and neglecting the people’s plight,” said Hassan.

State executive councillor in charge of local government, traffic management and flood mitigation Chow Kon Yeow had called on the parking concessionaire to absorb the parking attendants into its operating system.

He said the company should engage the attendants to sell the coupons and monthly passes.