Malaysia motorists reportedly wait up to five hours as automated parking fails at Petaling Jaya mall
A malfunction at an automated car park in Petaling Jaya, Malaysia, reportedly left motorists waiting up to five hours to retrieve their vehicles, prompting criticism over the management’s handling of the incident.
MALAYSIA: An automated parking system malfunction at New Ocean World Fine Food City in Petaling Jaya, Selangor, reportedly left motorists waiting for up to five hours to retrieve their vehicles.
The incident was highlighted in an Instagram post by a user who said the parking system malfunctioned on the night of 16 August, leaving customers waiting until the early hours of the following morning.
Motorists wait hours to retrieve vehicles
According to the post, the building uses an automated parking system in which vehicles are driven onto a large platform that lifts and moves them into parking spaces within the building.
When motorists are ready to leave, the system retrieves their vehicles and delivers them back to the ground level.
The Instagram user said the system began malfunctioning that night, causing vehicles to be released very slowly. At one point, no vehicles were being brought out.
The user said they had waited for about three hours when a person in charge eventually came out at around 1am to provide an explanation.
According to the post, the person said the management had been aware of the malfunction since about 10pm, but customers had not been informed earlier.
The user eventually retrieved their vehicle at about 3.40am, around five hours after they began waiting.
Management's handling draws criticism
The Instagram user criticised the management's handling of the incident, saying many elderly people and children were among those waiting for their vehicles.
According to the post, management eventually suggested that affected customers take a Grab ride home and return the following day to collect their vehicles.
However, the user said this was not a practical option for some motorists because they had left their house keys inside their vehicles.
The user also criticised the automated parking system for allegedly having no backup arrangement in the event of a malfunction.
The post attributed the parking system to technology company Evoxen, although the claims about the system's design and lack of alternative arrangements have not been independently verified.
Social media users react
The incident prompted a range of reactions online, with commenters raising concerns about the alleged delay in informing customers, suggesting compensation and sharing their own experiences with the automated parking system.
Concerns over delayed communication
Several commenters criticised the alleged decision not to inform motorists earlier despite management reportedly being aware of the malfunction.
They questioned why customers were left waiting for several hours without an earlier explanation or clearer information about the problem.
Calls for compensation
Some commenters said motorists affected by the prolonged delay should receive compensation for the inconvenience.
Suggestions included waiving parking charges, providing vouchers and offering free parking to those affected.
Similar experiences with the parking system
Some commenters shared their previous experiences using the automated parking facility.
One said they had used the facility several times without encountering a similar problem, while another recalled waiting about 15 minutes to retrieve a vehicle during a previous visit.
Reactions to the five-hour wait
The reported five-hour delay also prompted disbelief, with commenters highlighting how unusually long the wait was.
Some suggested that motorists could have taken a ride-hailing service home and returned the following day, although the original poster said this was not feasible for some customers who had their house keys inside their vehicles.
About the automated parking facility
According to information published by New Ocean World Fine Food City, the premises features a fully elevated automated car park that connects directly to the car park lounge.
As of 18 August 2026, its listed parking promotion charges RM3 (approximately US$0.75) for the first two hours, followed by RM1 (approximately US$0.25) for each subsequent hour.
A lost parking ticket carries a RM50 (approximately US$12.50) charge, while a 15-minute grace period applies.
The premises lists its operating hours as 11am to 10pm daily.
TOC has contacted New Ocean World Fine Food City for clarification on the reported incident.
The mall had not responded to TOC's queries at the time of publication.
