Our right to park
18/02/2007 Sunday Star

I REFER to the article by Jacqueline Pereira (Beyond ‘me’, Culture Cul de Sac, StarMag, Feb 11).

While the kiasu habits of our brethren have been well documented and argued over, I must say a lot of the mess and complications are caused by our own lack of foresight.

Take, for example, these perennial parking problems that many apartments/condominiums have. I put it down to buyers not being discerning enough to insist on at least two parking spaces each, if not more.

I would not buy a place that only allocates a single parking bay. If buyers were to stick to this principle, all developers would make sure that two, if not more, parking lots are allotted to each unit.

Many people just buy apartments without thinking things through, not realising what a daily nightmare parking will be for them, especially if the surrounding area is not suitable or available for parking.

It is not only at our homes that parking is inadequate. Even at work places, parking is so scarce that many go in early just to be able to park.

Even when one wishes to pay, parking is not always readily available.

Even for season parkers, the bays get filled up so fast that many employees have to park haphazardly and risk inviting summons and all. Whose fault is that?

It is the duty of developers and employers to ensure buyers and employees have ample parking space so that their lives are not filled with parking anxiety and stress.

The fact that we still face this stress I put down to a lack of foresight as well as the absence of caring employers and developers.

Planner, Kuala Lumpur