08-07-2025
Vehicle dumping: Penampang folks face RM20,000 fine
Published on: Tuesday, July 08, 2025
Published on: Tue, Jul 08, 2025
By: Sidney Skinner Text Size: The Council's staff put their backs into moving this abandoned vehicle at the HSK Industrial area. PENAMPANG drivers could find themselves RM20,000 poorer for leaving their unwanted vehicles in the common areas around the district. A Municipal Council spokeswoman said this was the maximum fine which could be imposed in court, under the Uniform (Anti-Litter) By-Laws 2010. 'Alternatively, the offenders might have to spend up a year behind bars,' she said. 'In the worst case scenario, they could be slapped with both a fine and jail-term.' She said, since January, 191 individuals had been duly notified to transport their automobiles back to their respective properties. About 150 notices were affixed to vehicles around commercial centres and shops, according to her, while another 41 were left behind on automobiles which had encroached on housing roads. She said officers with the agency's Traffic Control Unit had made 168 separate checks of commercial and residential properties around Penampang between January and July, during which time these notices were issued. Among the former properties were the Koidupan Light Industrial area, Grand Industrial area, Fu Guan Industrial area, HSK Industrial area, Cyber Square, Country Heights shops, Regency Park Shops, Beverly Hills Plaza and Wong Kwok Commercial Centre. Where the housing areas were concerned, inspections were made of Taman Sindo, Taman Kibabaig, Taman Prima Sumundu, Taman Perdana Bundusan, Taman Kasigui, Taman Nosoob Jaya, Taman Peluduk, Taman Olivia, Taman Sei Juta, Taman Friendly, Taman OKK Lojungah, Taman Suria Apartment, Park Residence Sugud, Corinthian Garden, WB Villa and PPR ['Projek Perumahan Rakyat (The People's Housing Project)'] Kibabaig. The spokeswoman said the most notices were issued at the HSK Industrial area (36) and Taman Suria Apartments (28). 'Our records show that 62 motorists complied with our instructions over the last seven months.' She said those who had not removed their vehicles risked being compounded up to RM500, under the Uniform (Anti-Litter) By-laws. 'In the worst case scenario, we could begin legal proceedings against them. The spokeswoman said the agency frowned on illegal garbage dumps involving unwanted automobiles springing up around the district. 'Not only are these vehicles an eye sore but, more importantly, they could also become a potential breeding ground for Aedes mosquitoes.' To show that it was getting serious on the act of car-dumping, the Council began impounding vehicles last week. 'We carried out an operation at the HSK Industrial area on Friday. 'Nine of our Enforcement and three Landscaping personnel worked together with a tow-truck operator to remove five vehicles from the common areas here. 'These vehicles were impounded in the Council's new depot in the Pavilion area.' She said the owners would have to settle a compound, as well as the towing and impound charges, before their automobiles could be relinquished to them. 'They will have 30 days to do this. Any vehicles which remain after this will be disposed off.' When asked how the agency got rid of these automobiles, the spokeswoman declined to comment. She said the agency had enlisted the assistance of the Police Department to determine if the dumped automobiles had been used in any criminal activities. The Council's Enforcement officers would continue to be on the lookout for any vehicles which had been abandoned, or haphazardly parked, in public areas around Penampang, according to her. 'We are in discussions with the upper administration of the Road Transport Department about gaining direct access to the its database. This would greatly facilitate our efforts to take errant motorists to task.' * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available.
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