BARELY a week after Kuala Lumpur police launched "Ops Respect Traffic Laws" in the city to nab traffic offenders, complaints have been pouring in from residents living in Salak South New Village and Desa Petaling – both townships located in the Bukit Bintang constituency – over claims of "high-handed" enforcement.
About 80 people attended a town hall session on Thursday (July 13), jointly organised by the Bukit Bintang MCA and DAP branches, to air their grievances after being issued with summonses for various traffic offences during the past two days.
"I was waiting in my car at Jalan 13 in Taman Salak Selatan and a traffic police officer came over and left a traffic summons on my windshield," said OS Au, a resident living nearby.
"I was not obstructing anyone, there were no road lines and the summons issued was for parking at Jalan 9 – which is nowhere near – and for contravening a traffic sign, which is not true,'' Au said.
Resident Yap Kien Keong said he received a summons for parking in front of his house, where he had been living for decades.
"This is basically a kampung road, and there are no yellow or white lines here.
"The roads here, especially Jalan 9, 11, and 13, which are main roads, have had no markings for more than 40 years," Yap said.
Another resident, who only identified herself as Madam Lim, said she was issued a summons at 9pm for parking near her house, while another resident, PK Low said he received his summons after midnight for parking in front of his house.
Kampung Salak Selatan MCA vice-chairman Banie Chin said he was not against the police doing their work but questioned the manner in which it was carried out.
"If they were enforcing it at a commercial centre in the heart of the city, I can understand – but certainly not cars parked in front people's houses or going after people who are not obstructing traffic.
"Most of the roads here are old and have no markings. So if the police are going to start strict enforcement, the least they could do is to get Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) to start drawing (road) lines and give residents notice," he added.
Bukit Bintang MP Fong Kui Lun's secretary Eric Teh said he would compile a list of the summonses and seek an interview with the police to address the matter.
The Star recently reported that a total of 26,506 traffic summonses were issued in the city since July 3, and that traffic obstruction was the most prevalent offence with 18,931 summonses issued.
A total of 800 personnel and officers were involved in the operation which will be conducted until July 31.
