The Penang state government has issued an order to suspend the automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) system used for issuing parking compounds. According to chief minister Chow Kon Yeow, the decision was made after the state government took into account public feedback and views regarding the implementation of the system.
“The state government will instruct both local authorities, Penang island city council (MBPP) and Seberang Perai city council (MBSP) to immediately suspend the implementation of ANPR and review its details,” he said in a post on Facebook.
He said that the matter was discussed during a meeting with Penang DAP chairman Steven Sim and deputy chairman Zairil Khir Johari. “What is important is that we listen to the people’s voices, review what is necessary to ensure that every policy implemented truly takes into account the interests of the people of Penang,” he added.
Last Friday, MBPP mayor Datuk A. Rajendran said that since the use of the ANPR system was implemented by MBPP in April last year, an average of about 7,000 parking offence compounds had been issued every month.
He said that the vehicles fitted with the ANPR system had enabled MBPP to detect parking offences more accurately compared with manual inspection methods, showing that the technology had helped improve the efficiency of parking enforcement, Bernama reports.
The ANPR system cross-checks number plates with the road transport department (JPJ) database. If a vehicle is found to be parked illegally or without payment, a compound fine notice is issued on the spot, with the owner’s details pulled directly from JPJ records.
He said that council tests showed that a one-minute grace period was sufficient for motorists to open the Penang Smart Parking app and complete payment, adding that motorists were required to pay as soon as their vehicles were parked in designated bays, even if they remained inside with the engine running. This of course had caused unease and concern among Penang residents.
Typical Malaysia Style (regardless of who’s in charge), waste and spend Rakyat’s money to roll out something and then suspend or U Turn! Watch GE16!
would you rather they dont U-turn and resume?
please think before doing such stupid thing. this is not singapore where people have gotten used to high pressure lifestyle, our country is rilek one you use singapore ruling style there will be no next term for you.
Ini “yo-yo” punya CM macam itulah… Is there such regulation that one have only 1 minutes to pay parking fee once in the parking box ? if not 1 minutes, how much time is allowed in the regulation to be deemed sufficient ?
please retract and compensate all 7,000 summonses issued if you are going to rescind this ANPR for now. This is result of poorly stated regulation and poor implementation. lack of resolve and half baked policy.
lol, if its auto-charge why not payment by auto-deduct also, why make people go through that hassle
Typical Malaysian style, got chance to improve and have better enforcement but we come up with 1001 concerns which continues to make us backwards. How will we progress when we worry this worry that. GE16 will take us backwards because we like to live in the past, a past that is full of corruption and BS.
my dad is in his 70’s. he struggles with smartphones and all these eparking apps. Yet, he will learn it, since it is now compulsory. He is just an example of many malaysians out there. Why is the government so strict with the parking system? We are all mostly law abiding people, but yet we get punished along those who intentionally not pay for parking. Sometimes I think the local city countil should focus on more important things, like poorly patched pot holes, falling old trees beside roads, or installing more street lamps. Why is instant payment of parking top of the priority???
Let me guess…. a lot of clone cars with fake plates?