Most Malaysians are familiar (and fed up) with this sort of behaviour. The routine goes as follows: passenger steps out and stands on an empty parking lot. Driver comes around in a few minutes to park in that lot. It’s the classic unethical and illegal move that’s a little tough to enforce.
Well, today a dsf.my reader (who wants to remain anonymous) sent in a few photos of this happening in a more ‘high stakes’ kind of way. Here, instead of a 3-year old child or spouse, a BODYGUARD was sent to book a parking space in the Bangsar/Jalan Telawi area.
Now this is a lot more intimidating for regular drivers. They may mistake this bodyguard for a policeman and avoid taking photos or making reports. To top it all off, the car that eventually came to fill that space was a Rolls-Royce Ghost.
The photos weren’t clear enough to reveal the car’s number plate. But an offence of this kind carries an RM2,000 fine or 6 months jail time.
Here’s the text of section 50(3) of the Road Transport Act 1987:
If any person, otherwise than with lawful authority, remains on any road or at any parking place for the purpose of importuning any other person in respect of the watching or cleaning of a motor vehicle, or for the purpose of directing any driver of a motor vehicle in respect of parking on such road or at such place, he shall be guilty of an offence.
And here’s the punishment under section 119 of the same act:
Any person who is guilty of an offence under this Act shall, where no special penalty is provided, be liable in the case of a first conviction, to a fine not exceeding *two thousand ringgit or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months and, in the case of a second or subsequent conviction, to a fine not exceeding four thousand ringgit or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding
twelve months or to both.
If you observe something like this happening, you yourself can send a photo or video to 011-51115252 on Whatsapp. Be sure it shows the number plate clearly.
