M’sian Dumbfounded After Getting Parking Fine While He’s Inside Car, MBSA Says It’s Not a Valid Reason

A driver in Shah Alam, Selangor, was slapped with a parking fine recently, claiming the enforcer didn’t see him in the car and that it was already too late.

The incident happened on 5 November, when he had parked in a proper spot and paid for parking before heading off to meet a client.

For illustration purposes only

“Next time, turn on the engine”

Speaking to WORLD OF BUZZ, John (a pseudonym) explained that after finishing the errand, he returned to his car to reply to some messages on his phone without extending his parking time. He was parked for less than 20 minutes without payment.

He claimed that an enforcer later approached his car and placed a parking fine on his windscreen. John tried to get the enforcer’s attention, prompting the officer to smack his own forehead and say, “Next time, turn on the engine.”

“I knocked on the windscreen to show I was there. He looked annoyed and smacked his forehead. I got out of the car, and he came up to me, angrily saying, ‘Next time, turn on the engine, ‘ and some words I couldn’t catch. Then he handed me the ticket and left quickly,” John recounted.

He also noted that the car next to his, whose driver was still inside, was not fined.

“The car next to me wasn’t fined, probably because the driver’s door was open. The other driver asked if I got fined, and I said yes,” he added.

“Further investigation will be conducted”

John tried calling the Majlis Bandaraya Shah Alam (MBSA) but didn’t get an answer. After two attempts, he decided to email them instead.

He added that the “complaint” centre had briefly replied regarding the “tempat letak kereta” (TLK, which means ‘parking area’), asking to investigate further.

“‘TLK’ said that the authority to reduce or waive fines lies with the legal department and asked me to contact them. I felt my case was too minor to involve the legal department and didn’t expect a quick response, but I went ahead and emailed them anyway.”

John’s email to mbsa

Mbsa says further investigation will be conducted

“The notice is valid and properly issued”

To his surprise, the legal department clarified that no valid payment had been made when the offence notice was issued by the enforcement officer, meaning the notice is valid.

“Additionally, having people in the vehicle is not a valid reason to be exempt from the notice, as parking charges must be paid as soon as the vehicle is parked,” the email stated.

John later said that while the explanation made sense, he still felt it was harsh since he had already paid in the morning and was about to leave.

He added that the RM10 24-hour payment window creates a lot of pressure, especially when you’re unsure how to handle the situation. Fortunately, he said the legal department responded within the time frame.

“The enforcer wasn’t friendly. He handed me the parking fine before I could ask anything or respond. I had to figure out how to dispute it myself. The legal department, on the other hand, gave the best ‘customer service’ experience.”

“Also, the statement on the ticket, ‘I am willing to pay the compound for this offence…’, seems wrong. You shouldn’t put words in someone’s mouth when they disagree with the incident. There should be a clause saying something like, ‘If you disagree, please email so-and-so.'”

What are your thoughts on this? Let us know down in the comments!

Also read: Neighbour Parks Car in Front of, Or Worse, Inside Your Property? Here Are the Legal Actions You Can Take