DAMAI PLAZA WILL HAVE A NEW HOTEL BLOCK?

PARKING…. View of the Damai Plaza open air car park.

FROM A reliable source that behind the Damai Plaza shopping area is going to have a new hotel block which is to be constructed on the existing open air car parking areas. The hotel is about 8 floors high covering the whole open space behind the Damai Plaza phase one.

The Kota Kinabalu Member of Parliament Hiew King Cheu received the information recently and had checked on the reaction from the people here in Damai Plaza concerning the proposal to build a hotel in the existing car park. The people refused the proposal and said they would prefer that a multi-storey car park will be a better proposal.

“This place had been proposed for a market to be built before, but the plan was shot down by the people here, why now trying to put up an even worst proposal for a hotel?,” claimed a Mr. Chok here.

KK MP Hiew views that this site is the best site for the purpose of developing into a multi-storey car park where at least 800 cars can park. The parking problem in the Damai Plaza is getting worst day by day, and it is very difficult to find parking space in the area.

The cars illegally parked are getting summons instantly that shows the immense problem in the lack of car parking spaces. MP Hiew himself was summoned when he parked at the undesignated parking lot just for going upstairs floor to take a photo of the car park area. It was less than 5 minutes of stop over.

The people wanted the plan to build a hotel here to be scraped and instead the developer SUDC or DBKK should build a multi-storey car park here to benefit the people.

The multi-storey will benefit the people not only in Damai Plaza Phase 1 but also Ph 2, 3 and 4, and also the people in Foh Sang area. The construction of the multi-storey is quick and simple, and the return and income is high.

Just imaging with the hotel is built, and the traffic flow will be heavier and jammed pack. How many car parking lots can the hotel provide for the people while the hotel has taken away the existing car parks?

There are some 250 cars are parked here daily. Will these people be deprived their rights to park here or can they afford to park in the expensive car park of the hotel costing up to RM8 per hour?

KK MP Hiew urges the SUDC and DBKK to meet the need of the people in the Damai Plaza for more car parking spaces, and change the plan to build a multi-storey car park for the general public instead. The public interest must be given top priority.