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Living in Kuala Lumpur is no easy feat. With the rising cost of living squeezing household budgets, it’s no surprise that some of us would go above and beyond to save a few ringgit when necessary.
That includes parking. Across the Klang Valley, even luxury vehicles can often be seen parked illegally. For many, taking the risk of receiving a traffic summons is simply the cheaper option.
However, one woman recently found herself paying the price twice – the parking fee as well as parking summons.
On Threads @bacononaplate shared her frustration after visiting Jalan Changkat, where she paid RM15 to an illegal parking attendant—commonly known as an ulat parkir—who usually claimed to “look after” vehicles parked in the area despite having no legal authority to do so.
She paid the man, not wanting any altercation or risked getting her car vandalised.
Yet there was a surprise waiting for her upon her return as she found a Dewan Bandaraya Kuala Lumpur (DBKL) parking summons tucked under her windscreen wiper.
“You literally cannot make this nonsense up. I just handed RM15 to an illegal ulat parkir without a work permit in Changkat because if you don’t pay them, your car gets keyed or your side mirrors get smashed—only to walk back and find a brand new DBKL summons under my wiper blade,” she wrote.
The incident left her questioning why ordinary motorists appear to bear the consequences while illegal parking operators continue to conduct business openly.
“So let me get this straight. The illegal operator gets away with running a tax-free cash syndicate on a public street. DBKL gets to fine me for being on that same street. I get penalised twice just for existing in KL,” she said.
She further questioned why authorities have yet to clamp down on individuals allegedly collecting money from motorists while operating without permits.
“So illegal workers get to privatise government property and keep the cash, DBKL gets my summons money, and I get scammed from both ends. Why is nothing being done about this? Why am I paying for public infrastructure if DBKL is just going to let syndicates charge entry and fine us anyway?” she added.
Her post quickly gained traction across social media, with many users saying they had experienced similar situations in parts of Kuala Lumpur where illegal parking attendants continue to operate despite enforcement efforts.
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