Senior citizen parking bays now at MBKS markets — to expand to malls, public areas

Yellow-coloured parking bays designated for senior citizens at an MBKS market in Kuching. Photo credit: Wee Hong Seng

By Shikin Louis

KUCHING, Sept 20: Spotted a yellow parking bay at an MBKS market? It is meant to make parking a little easier for senior citizens and more such bays are on the way.

Kuching South City Council (MBKS) Mayor Dato Wee Hong Seng said dedicated parking spaces for senior citizens are already available at markets under the council, with plans to extend them to shopping malls and other public areas.

“We are going to extend it to other shopping malls and public areas,” he said when met after the fourth Cheongsam Festival at MBKS Community Hall here today.

Wee said two or three dedicated parking lots had been provided for senior citizens at the markets, located beside designated parking spaces for persons with disabilities (OKU).

He urged motorists who do not qualify for the senior citizen spaces to leave them available for those who need them.

“We hope those users make sure that if you are not up to that age, give it to them to park,” he said.

The move is part of MBKS’ preparations for Sarawak’s ageing population, with Wee noting that Sarawak is expected to become an ageing city by 2028.

“We cannot deny this fact — in 2028, Sarawak is going to be an ageing city.

“So we have to get ourselves prepared. Two years is not long, it’s going to be there, so everything has to be geared up very, very fast,” he said.

Wee said MBKS was also looking at other measures to make public facilities more accessible to senior citizens.

He said the council was preparing a proposal to waive parking fees and coupons for OKU-designated parking spaces.

The proposal would first be tabled at the MBKS Full Council before being submitted to the relevant Minister for approval, he said.

Wee said preparations for an ageing population should go beyond infrastructure, with communities also needing to create an environment where senior citizens could remain active and engaged.

“We want to make sure that all the people age in dignity, they age healthy, so that they will enjoy their lifestyle,” he said. — DayakDaily