Traders cry foul as Singapore-bound workers occupy public parking 15 hours daily

New Straits Times

11-06-2025

ISKANDAR PUTERI: Public parking spaces in Perling and Skudai have been monopolised for up to 15 hours daily by Malaysians commuting to work in Singapore, raising concerns among local businesses and traders about the impact on their livelihoods.
Traders claimed that by 5am on weekdays, hundreds of vehicles, mostly belonging to locals working in Singapore, were already occupying public parking bays in Medan Nusa Perintis 2, Gelang Patah, and Perling.
These vehicles remained parked until 8pm, effectively preventing others from using the spaces throughout the day.
The daily occupation of these lots and the resulting shortage of available parking have left customers unable to access shops and food stalls, forcing many to double park or abandon their visits altogether.
In some cases, vehicles were reportedly left parked for days, accumulating parking tickets.
A food vendor, who only wanted to be known as Emma and trades at a site allocated by the Iskandar Puteri City Council (MBIP) in Perling, said she arrived yesterday morning to find her designated business lot already occupied.
"The drivers only returned late in the evening, some even questioned our right to trade here, even though these spaces are legally allocated by MBIP," she said.
At the Iskandar Malaysia Food Court in Gelang Patah, stall owner Mar Muhammad, 33, claimed that nearly 20 vendors have seen their profits dwindle over the last two years.
"The cars come in as early as 5am and stay until 8pm. Some are left for weeks. We have filed complaints with MBIP, but the issue persists," he said.
"Customers circle the area multiple times, give up, and leave. It is affecting our livelihoods."
He added that traders had resorted to arriving early and placing traffic cones to reserve the bays, but some workers simply removed them or picked fights.
Amirul Arshad, 31, who works at a motorcycle shop in Perling, said long-term parking even spills over into reserved lots.
"Some of these car owners block our paid bays. We have had to call in enforcement tow trucks just to carry on with our business," he said.
Business owners along Jalan Lumba Kuda are also struggling, as motorists swamp the limited parking bays outside their ageing shop lots, drawn by the road's proximity to the CIQ complex and Johor Bahru city centre for easier access to Singapore.
Meanwhile, Kota Iskandar assemblyman Datuk Pandak Ahmad said the issue was raised at a recent district coordination meeting.
"A firmer mechanism is needed to prevent these spaces from being seized for such long durations," he said.
"There was a proposal to create a designated parking site on vacant land, but it has yet to be implemented."
For now, frustrated traders continue to fend for themselves, battling not just lost income but also territorial commuters who treat public parking like private storage.