The other place we went to was Penang Times Square, a Berjaya project. We were looking forward to the publicized flea market a few months back, but the place was so empty apart from the Sun City supermarket. A check with the information girl and she replied that the flea market was a flop and they did not have one for at least a couple of months. I asked about the equipment for a show and red carpet in front of two shoe shoplots and she said the Penang Chief Minister is coming at 6 pm. It was only just after 2 pm so we decided to go out for a cup of white coffee (taken for granted in Ipoh) but got the local coffee instead. Yes, they do have white coffee but the 3-in-1 type.
After checking out some electrical equipment at the supermarket, my wife decided to go to her third intended place – the bookshop in Chowrasta market where she had found some old books and magazines before. I decided to stay in the car instead.
Initially, I parked in front of a closed shop with roller shutters drawn shut behind the Penang Road police station. Then one roller shutter was opened and I gestured my apology knowing the man was about to drive his car out. I turned into Jalan Phee Choon and was glad that there were already 2 tour buses parked on the left side of the road leading to a dead end on Penang Road. Surely, if tour buses can park, then I can safely wait in the car, I thought to myself. But just a minute later, the parking attendant told me that I cannot park there. I questioned him that if the buses can park, why can't I wait? Then he suggested to me to park in a proper vacant space and said, 'You can wait here.' Just only a few minutes, he asked me, 'How long are you going to wait?' I said, 'Look, if the buses are allowed to park in a 'No waiting area, surely I can wait.' But of course, he has already forgotten his earlier offer and I was in no mood to take up the space properly. It did not cost much but in effect, I was earlier properly waiting but was now forced out of the area completely. He challenged me to check up with the Majlis Perbandaran Pulau Pinang because he said he is allowed to issue tickets to the buses at Rm5 each.
So it appears, if what he said was true, that certain rules are meant to be broken. The 'No Waiting' signs were on both sides of Jalan Phee Choon (for whole length of the left side), and on the right, except where car and motor cycle parking spaces were designated. It was right next to the police station and the car park attendants behaved like illegal 'jaga kereta'!
What used to be funny whenever I come across Jalan Phee Choon (in Hokien it sounded like 'approved') wasn't funny anymore. I wonder if MPPP really allows the car park attendants to issue proper parking tickets to buses where the left side of the road is supposed to be 'No Waiting'. It was not fair to any of the car owners who parked properly because it took me three times of 'moving forward and back' before I could drive the car out of the space, simply because of the buses parked behind the parked cars.
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