Little Napoleons at work: RM10,000 fine for parking ticket?

NST

HOW the little Napoleons flex their muscles! Just watch the Majlis Bandaraya Melaka Bersejarah (MBMB).

On July 18, I went to Melaka Sentral to buy a bus ticket. The few parking lots along the road were full. I parked at a vacant ground under the bridge. There was no "No parking" sign or yellow line. When I came back after 10 minutes, there was a summons on my windscreen.

On July 23, I went to the MBMB to appeal against the fine of RM100. I was told by the officer that I was lucky to be issued with a fine of RM100 because there was provision for a maximum fine of RM10,000.

I looked at the summons notice and, true enough, there were fines of RM50, RM80, RM100, RM250, RM500 and RM10,000.

The officer who issues the notice has to tick one of the boxes. If he is in a bad mood that day, I pity the offender.
Just what is going on? Even a fine for reckless driving (which can cause death) is RM3,000.

There must be some sense in fixing fines for minor offences such as parking in the wrong places — otherwise a RM10,000 fine for a parking offence should certainly be listed in the Guinness Book of Records.

The Suffian Report states that the levy of parking charges is only to help regulate the traffic flow. It should not be a means of minting money.

So, what do I do? Pay and keep quiet? I pray that should I commit a parking offence again, the officer is in a good mood and would not tick the RM10,000 box.