Residents act against illegal parking on their property

Mr Lim, a Jalan Mas Puteh resident, pointing to a sign put up to prevent illegal parking there.
Mr Lim, a Jalan Mas Puteh resident, pointing to a sign put up to prevent illegal parking there. PHOTO: LIANHE WANBAO

Owners of eight terraced houses along Jalan Mas Puteh in Clementi put up with illegal parking on their property for years before deciding that they had had enough.

Last November, they put up signs warning trespassers off the property and began clamping the wheels of illegally parked vehicles.

The situation came to a head on Sunday, when an irate motorist posted on citizen journalism portal Stomp that he had been forced to pay $500 to have the clamp on his vehicle removed.

However, the home owners claim that they are well within their rights because the road that runs in front of all eight units is private property.

Mrs Tay, who has lived there for two years, explained that they usually give illegally parked vehicles 10 to 15 minutes leeway.

"But we can't compromise any more," the 31-year-old programmer said. "Enough is enough."

The home owners believe that most of the rogue vehicles belong to customers of nearby eateries, some of which are open until the early hours of the morning.

Mrs Tay told The Straits Times these customers had "all sorts of excuses" for where they parked their vehicles. Some had even challenged her to a fight.

Since the signs have been put up, four vehicles have been clamped. Home owners say that the $2,000 collected in release fees has gone towards paying for the signboards and maintenance of the road itself.

According to Mrs Tay's neighbours, Mr and Mrs Lim, the illegal parking problem has existed for at least 25 years - ever since they moved in in 1988.

Once, they even found dead chickens thrown onto their car porch the morning after they lodged a police complaint about the parking offences.

All the home owners declined to be named in full because they do not want to aggravate the situation.

"I hope we won't have to clamp any more cars, said Mrs Lim, a 66-year-old retiree.

"I just want a simple and peaceful life."

linettel@sph.com.sg

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