‘Illegal Car Workshop A Nuisance, Hazard To Traffic And Parking’ - Shop Owner

Shop lot owner S.C Chin, 56 has had enough with an illegal car workshop that has been operating in the Dataran Sunway area within Kota Damansara.

Meanwhile, the Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) has seemed to be sitting with an eye blind to the issue, or so he says. This is despite Mr Chin sending the council numerous letters/emails, complaints directly to city councillors, and reports via the ‘e-aduan’ website.

The car workshop in question is claimed to have been in operation for the last 3 years at a lot that’s adjacent to his, where it routinely engages in major car repairs, often involving engines.

Under commercial licences issued by MBPJ, only businesses involving tyre services and car battery replacements are allowed, while more ‘full-fledged’ repairs require relocation to an industrial area.

“To make matters worse, this workshop also carries out repair work on the five-foot way and public parking bays in front of the premises,” adds Chin at a press conference at the PGRM Public Services and Complaints Bureau in Taman Kinrara 1.

“This has created access problems, especially for people with disabilities. The workshop operator parks condemned cars all over the premises, including the back lane, making it a fire hazard and blocking access for rubbish collectors.”

To Mr Chin’s frustration, the car repair workshop continues to operate uninterrupted despite having its license revoked and being issued a summons in December 2019 for violating the conditions under its “Tyre Services” business category.

“The premises were sealed off during the first movement control order in March 2020, but the operators obtained a new licence in July that year under a new company name. A search in the Companies Commission of Malaysia (SSM) revealed that the same individuals continue to operate the same business,”

“This is totally unacceptable. There are many workshops operating this way and abusing the licence issued by the local authorities. MBPJ is not taking action unless it receives complaints.”