I REFER to the news report, "Discounts for summonses" (NST, July 1) where it was stated that traffic summonses for compoundable offences will be given a discount of 30 to 50 per cent from July 1. The remission is 30 per cent for unpaid summonses issued previously and 50 per cent for summonses given out from July 1.

This is a welcome relief for motorists reeling from the recent surge in fuel and food prices. Those who received summonses recently and promptly settled them may envy those who were slow in paying and can now take advantage of the discount offered.

With the drop in second-hand car prices and the less than satisfactory state of our public transport system, a car is a necessity not only for the well-to-do but for low and medium wage earning families. The amount (without the current discount) required to settle a summons issued by the police for a parking offence is 10 times that imposed by the DBKL or MPPJ.

The RM300 that was imposed will represent 20 per cent of the salary of a person earning RM1,500 a month.

Private car parks in Kuala Lumpur are fast disappearing with the land being used to put up buildings.
I suggest that multi-storeyed car parks be built to ease the shortage of parking space, especially near Light Rail Transit, monorail and bus stations, particularly those on the periphery of the city where commuters can park their cars and take public transport.

Until this is done, the amount payable for summonses for parking offences, while having a deterrent effect on errant motorists, should not be excessively burdensome to the small wage earner.

It would be reasonable to raise the payment when sufficient parking facilities are in place.