KUCHING: The relevant authorities have been urged to consider imposing hefty fines on offenders who build illegal structures or extensions on state/council land.
In suggesting this, Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) Public Complaints Bureau (PCB) chief Wilfred Yap said the fines would serve as a deterrent.
He said he was recently approached by business persons at Kota Sentosa, who were unhappy with a coffee shop operator whose concrete extension encroached onto three public car bays for placing extra tables and chairs.
“The complaints arose because this had the effect of depriving people of the usage of the three parking bays when the number of such spaces was already insufficient, especially during peak hours,” he said in a statement today.
Upon receiving the complaint, Yap, who is also SUPP Kota Sentosa branch chairman and a Padawan Municipal Council (MPP) councillor, immediately requested for a council enforcement team to visit the place to better assess the situation.
“After that, the enforcement team issued a notice to the coffee shop owner giving him 14 days to demolish the concrete extension which is a breach of the law on the use of land and an encroachment or trespass onto state/council land,” he said.
In relation to that, he expressed hope that people would always think of the impact of their actions on others. He stressed that being responsible and considerate was the key to making sure one’s actions will not cause problems to others.
“The key is not to do things which you do not want others to do. This will go a long way towards reducing unhappiness and potential disputes, and also allows the enforcement staff of MPP to concentrate on more serious breaches of by-laws and regulations,” said Yap.
SUPP PCB is always ready to lend a helping hand to anyone facing problems or who come across problems of public interest but are unsure of how to handle them.
Anyone requiring assistance can always contact SUPP PCB at 016-7797688 or 082-246999, or directly visit the SUPP Head Office to request for assistance.
