HIGHLIGHTS
How Troubled UTAR Motorists Find Their Way Out
PHOTO GALLERY
By Cheah Houng
March 10, 2017
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Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman(UTAR) Kampar is a big campus, with its student population exceeding 10,000. Students go to school either by cycling, cars or motorcycles. Nowadays, the number of student motorists is getting higher than ever. Moreover, not only university students drive to school – staffs and lecturers also have to be added into the number of motorists.
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However, the campus has limited parking spaces and does not have enough spaces for every driver. Therefore, at the beginning of each semester, students who need entry stickers have to apply, and only the lucky ones may get it. The Student Representative Council will conduct balloting process twice, but the number of successful applicants has always been too low.
The University has strict policies on parking issues. Those who park illegally will risk being clamped. Even with a vehicle entry sticker, drivers may still still find it hard to get parking spaces on campus. If they park outside of parking spaces, their vehicles will get clamped by the Security and Safety Department.
It is nothing but an ordinary sticker. However, it allows vehicles to enter the campus, and not every student have the privilege of getting it. Due to this reason, other issues came up. Some of the students who got the stickers tried selling it to the others at a high price. Car stickers which were originally sold at RM 100.00 were sold at RM280.00, while motorcycle stickers which only costs RM10 , were sold at RM100. Out of desperation, there are also students who went to a third party and made fake stickers. They came in and occupied the spaces, and those who rightfully have the stickers ended up with nowhere to park.
It is not easy to get a parking space in campus. The spaces are usually full, especially in the afternoon. Sometimes students had to park at a space far away from their class venue and walk a long way to attend class.
Drivers without vehicle entry stickers have to park outside the East gate and walk to their lessons’s venue. Needless to say, it is a long and tiring walk, rain or shine.
Another solution is to go back to the original mode of transport – cycling. Cyclists have less parking issues, but it will take a longer time to get to the lesson’s venue.