PARKING DISCOUNT
To qualify for the discounted parking passes, Mayor Dato’ Zamri Man said early birds must not be in arrears (no outstanding payments due).
“This is to encourage ratepayers to settle their dues early. Property owners will be duly notified in their bills,” said the mayor after chairing the monthly council full-board meeting on Monday, October 30.
During the press conference, Zamri disclosed that property owners are still owning the council RM42 million in arrears for 2016.
“We’ll act on those who, in spite of written warnings, still refuse to pay up by sealing their movable properties, as permitted by council laws,” he said.
The council has begun its sealing action in November.
MEET CLIENTS DAY
On Tuesday, November 7, nine counters were opened between 9am and 5pm. The session is opened to all Ipohites either to lodge complaints or to settle outstanding payments. The objective is to ensure that contact with officers and staff of City Council is made easy.
A housewife, who only wanted to be known as Mrs Lee, said she was there to register a complaint about the clogged drain in front of her Silibin house. It has been clogged for several months. “The situation is worsened by the current wet spell. It’s a perfect breeding ground for mosquitoes,” she lamented.
She hoped the council would act on her complaint immediately.
ILLEGAL BANNERS AND STICKERS
They are very unsightly and at times obstruct the view of motorists and thus become a nuisance. Efforts to remove them are on-going but the best of deeds by the authorities will come to nought if the menace is not addressed holistically.
The culprits are not only the errant ah long but legal money lenders too, as that is the surest way to reach their intended target – the not-too-savvy small-time businessmen who require quick cash minus the hassle.
Realising the enormity of the problem, Mayor Zamri Man conducted a two-day tour of Bercham and Kledang to gauge the situation for himself. He was on the ground on November 7 and 8 and along with council workers began removing the offending banners and stickers. Over the two-day period some 2000 banners were destroyed.
Removing these items is done jointly by the council’s licensing department, the advertisement unit and the enforcement division. From January to September this year almost 90,000 banners and stickers were removed and destroyed. Over the same period 1468 compounds, worth RM274, 215 were issued to those who flouted the council’s by-laws.
Ipoh City Council By-Law on Advertisement 2013 empowers the council to compound offenders with a maximum amount of RM250.
IPOH CAR FREE DAY
The atmosphere along Jalan Raja Dihilir, was filled with Indian festivity songs. Some 32 booths were erected for those taking part. Over 7000 people partook in the monthly council-sponsored event targeted at making Ipoh a carbon-free city. Cycling, roller skating and hover-boarding were the order of the day.
By Nabilah Hamudin
