Tackling the parking menace A MIDDLE-AGED man who was walking with a limp was waving to me in Ipoh new town last week. It was obvious that he was a jaga kereta (illegal parking attendant) as he was signalling for me to park in a lot along the busy Jalan Theatre. I ignored him and parked in another lot across the road instead. Well, jaga kereta boys are everywhere in the city these days and being approached by one is nothing out of the ordinary. But what baffled me was this jaga kereta boy came over and hurled verbal abuses at my friend and I as we got down from the car. He was speaking in Hokkien, a dialect which I do not know well, but I could see from his facial expression that he was cursing us. I was furious, especially when my friend said we were lucky because these jaga kereta boys can do worse things, like scratch the car or puncture the tyre of motorists who did not pay them or make them angry. Why should the motorists be subjected to such harassments and threats in the first place? I really wonder whether the authorities are doing anything to curb the menace. While the jaga kereta boys are operating in the open in broad daylight, why is it so difficult to nab them? On June 14, some readers of The Star had called to inform my colleagues that there was no jaga kereta boy when Metro Perak highlighted the issue that day. Unfortunately, it was business as usual for these jaga kereta boys the next day and thereafter. What kept them away for that particular day? I do not think the jaga kereta boys read the paper and decided to stay away for fear of the authorities. While I do not know whether the enforcement officers went to nab them on that day, I think the jaga kereta boy problems can be resolved if the authorities concerned get to the root of the problem. According to one of my colleagues, there is a loophole in the law, making it difficult to press charges on jaga kereta boys. Besides, there are so many of them and they are all over the place and the authorities cannot be having “Ops jaga kereta boys” daily. Finding a place to detain them and having to provide them food is another thing to consider. Who are the jaga kereta boys? Contrary to the general assumption that jaga kereta boys are males who looked like drug addicts or beggars, I was shocked to see a female jaga kereta in Ipoh new town recently. She was decently dressed, with makeup and had a waist pouch. She smiled and did not demand for payment after I told her that I would pay her later. But she was not around after I returned about an hour later. When I related my encounter to my friend, she jokingly said that female jaga kereta could be a ghost! While the job of a jaga kereta may be illegal, I must say they can be very helpful and some of them are also polite. For instance, a jaga kereta boy had advised me to be careful with my handbag, saying the place was very dark at night and snatch thefts were rampant there. That happened more than a year ago and I remember it because what he said was true. It was about 7pm and still bright when I parked my car. The area was deserted and very dark when I returned to my car past 10pm after attending a dinner. I hurried to my car and felt so relieved seeing the jaga kereta boy standing next to my car. He shined the torchlight for me to open my car door. I cannot remember how much I paid him, but he was indeed helpful. Most of all, I count myself lucky because this jaga kereta boy was not a robber. Well, the authorities perhaps may consider legalising the jaga kereta boys for them to provide service for a fee. For instance, they can help control the traffic and keep an eye on parked vehicles for a fee, just like Rela members who help to control traffic during events. I was made to understand that the Rela members are paid a fee to do so. I am willing to pay a fee, say up to RM5 as tips to a good jaga kereta boy who looked out for a carpark for me and also be around to keep an eye on my car. While I do not encourage people to become a jaga kereta boy, I think there is no harm for the authorities to study the possibility of legalising them and keeping them under control since they (authorities) seem to be unable to weed them out.
Posted on: Sat, 12 Jul 2014 01:29:49 +0000