The festive cheer in Penang was accompanied by a significant surge in traffic violations as tourists flooded the state during the school holidays.
More than 13,000 traffic fines issued
The Penang Island City Council (MBPP) and Seberang Perai City Council (MBSP) issued a staggering total of over 13,641 tickets in December alone.
Jagdeep Singh Deo, the Chairman of the Penang State Local Government Committee, highlighted the gravity of the situation.
According to MBPP’s data provided to Kwong Wah Daily, 12,302 tickets were issued on Penang Island, with 2,165 for motorcycles and 10,137 for cars.
In Seberang Perai, the MBSP handed out 1,339 tickets from December 15, comprising 83 for motorcycles and 1,256 for cars.
The enforcement and traffic control operations primarily targeted tourist hotspots such as Penang Hill, Heritage Zone and Queensbay area.
The authorities stationed enforcement officers in these areas to prevent illegal parking, especially along yellow lines.
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During the school holiday period, towing teams were also active in areas with prevalent double parking, such as the Queensbay vicinity in Penang.
In Seberang Perai, populous areas like Sunway City, Bukit Mertajam, Butterworth, Raja Uda, and Icon City were under strict surveillance.
Public urged to abide by traffic regulations
Jagdeep Singh Deo urged the public to abide by traffic regulations to avoid penalties or towing. He emphasized the shift towards “soft enforcement” by the MBPP’s Public Education Committee, chaired by Wong Ming Wee (transliteration).
This approach involves guiding drivers to nearby parking lots rather than penalizing them immediately, easing traffic congestion.
Wong elaborated that many visitors, unfamiliar with Penang, inadvertently contribute to congestion.
Hence, officers guide them to appropriate parking spots. She also encouraged the use of Penang’s smart parking app.
