THE Penang Island City Council (MBPP) has increased its parking fees by 50% as of this month to prompt ratepayers here to utilise the Rapid Penang stage public services while also reducing congestion in the town center here.
The decision was also made in view of the acute shortage of public parking bays, said MBPP president and Lord Mayor Datuk Anthony Rajendran.
He added that the hike was to prevent motorists from abusing the lots.
“Some motorists park their vehicles for 10 to 12 hours straight, making it difficult for others to find parking. This leads to drivers circling the area repeatedly, worsening congestion,” he told journalists in George Town.
Under the new rates, the fees have increased from 40 sen to 60 sen per half hour, and from 80 sen to RM1.20 per hour.
The daily parking rate has also been revised from RM6 to RM9, while the monthly pass remains at RM150.
The new rates are published on the smart parking portal under MBPP.
Besides this, Rajendran said that the council also plans to impose a time limit on parts of Chulia Street and Little India soon in view of the high congestion rate in the area.
“Public parking should serve as a shared facility, not a private space for all-day parking. We will start limiting parking time in areas where finding a spot is already difficult."
MBPP has also unveiled plans to control the traffic flow at Jalan P. Ramlee, Jalan Dato’ Keramat, Jalan Magazine, Jalan Burma and Lebuhraya Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu, by banning roadside waiting and increasing enforcement against illegal parking.
To further ease congestion, MBPP is working with developers to ensure that private parking facilities in commercial buildings adopt similar fee structures to MBPP’s public parking rates.
“We encourage the public to utilise existing parking spaces in shopping malls and private buildings instead of relying solely on public parking,” he said.
Rajendran also urged residents to take advantage of Penang’s public transport options, including Rapid Penang buses, taxis and e-hailing services to reduce traffic congestion.
MBPP has also initiated an open - tender to develop a multi-storey parking facility along Weld Quay to increase available parking spaces.
Separately, Rajendran said that the Jelutong landfill on the island is expected to reach full capacity by August , prompting MBPP to set up a Construction and Demolition (C & D) Waste Processing Centre at the Batu Maung Transfer Station.
The landfill represents the main dumpsite and waste treatment facility for Penang.
To overcome the maximum capacity there, Rajendran said that MBPP or orders of the state has established the C & D center in Batu Maung to reduce the transport costs of ferrying solid waste across the Penang Channel to Prai via barges.
“Currently, waste from the island is compressed at the Batu Maung Transfer Station before being sent to Pulau Burung or other landfills in Seberang Perai for disposal. Once Pulau Burung reaches full capacity, all waste will have to be transported to Seberang Perai, which will incur significant costs,” he said.
Rajendran explained that the processing centre will help cut down expenses, as MBPP currently spends RM33 per tonne on waste processing and RM45 per tonne on transportation.
“If we can manage C&D waste on the island itself, we estimate savings of approximately RM15 million,” he added.
Once operational, the centre will transform construction waste into reusable materials, such as bricks, which can be used locally or exported.
“This initiative not only supports recycling efforts but also reduces waste disposal costs. The funds saved can be redirected towards other community development projects."
He also highlighted that Penang currently has 32 waste segregation stations, with plans to increase the number to 50 by the end of the year.
However, he expressed concern that some facilities remain underutilised.
“Many people still do not practise proper waste segregation. We hope to increase public awareness through more outreach efforts,” he said. - March 2, 2025.
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