A REALLY FRIENDLY LOCAL COUNCIL.

Now that the federal and state government plans to allow “restauranteur” to occupy parking lots from 7pm~2am, they should also allow tires and car accessories shops to stake claims to their own front parking lot(s) sans payment from 8am ~ 7pm. After all, they might as well legalize what some of these “mafioso characters” has been doing and while pursuing that option they should also consider allowing motorised and non motorised hawkers to park wherever they fancy.

CAP: Restaurants may not follow open-air dining rules
Link : The Star

PETALING JAYA: Having guidelines on outdoor dining will not guarantee that restaurant owners will not place chairs and tables along five-foot ways, said the Consumers Association of Penang.

“Can we guarantee that the restaurant owners will follow the rules?

“Do we have enough enforcement to keep checking on them to ensure that they do not flout the rules?” asked its president S.M. Mohamed Idris.

“Placing chairs and tables outside restaurants will expose customers to an unhealthy environment including carbon monoxide from cars,” he said, adding that it would also take up parking lots and block traffic.

On Thursday, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said the Government was lifting a ban on open-air dining outside restaurants.

However, he said, restaurateurs who wanted to place chairs and tables outside their premises must obtain permission from the local authorities.

It was also reported that the Selangor Government planned to issue outdoor dining rules including allowing restaurants to place chairs and tables at parking lots in front of their shops but not along five-foot ways between 7pm and 2am.

Federation of Consumer Associations of Malaysia secretary-general Muhammad Sha'ani Abdullah said any guidelines on outdoor dining must get the support of residents and nearby businesses.

“Restaurants should not be allowed to have outdoor dining if there's objection from the residents,” he said.