Kamanan looking at the two handicapped parking bays at his block at PPR Seri Aman in Kepong. — RAJA FAISAL HISHAN/The Star
EACH time disabled resident Kamanan Vellasamy drives home to Seri Aman People’s Housing Project (PPR) in Kepong, Kuala Lumpur, the only two allocated handicapped parking spots at his block is inevitably occupied.
Worse still, these bays for physically-disabled drivers have been taken up by able-bodied drivers.
The situation got so bad that Kamanan, 66, said he was forced to move into his son’s terrace house in Taman Sri Segambut for several months last year.
He said each of the four PPR blocks only had two disabled parking bays to cater for the 1,600 units of flats.
“There are many senior citizens and residents with serious health issues, including physical disabilities.
“What are we to do when the handicapped parking is misused by others?
“We need easy access to get to our units,” he told StarMetro.
Kamanan said someone had left their car parked in one of the handicapped spots for more than a year, leading him to think it had been abandoned.
“I have repeatedly reported the matter to Pejabat Kecil Perumahan PPR Seri Aman and the Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) Enforcement Department, but no action is taken,” he said.
Meanwhile, PPR Sri Aman Residents Association chairman Mohamed Nawaz Koya said misuse of handicapped parking bays was a persistent problem there.
He said the RA could not take action as the matter came under DBKL’s jurisdiction.
“DBKL has also not facilitated the forming of a joint management body that will be able to take action on such issues.
“Even when the RA passes on residents’ reports or complaints on parking matters, the officers have their own procedure.
“They will have to issue notices to the vehicle owner before towing the car away,” he said.
Mohamed Nawaz said parking issues were a perennial problem, with double-parking common here.
“We are in the process of installing some 50 closed-circuit television cameras around the compound to hopefully resolve some of these issues,” he added.
StarMetro has reached out to DBKL for comments but have yet to receive a response at press time.
