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| East Coast Theme Park entrance, BEWARE! |
I used to drop off family members, relatives and friends at East Coast Mall, Kuantan and it was hassle free. I have a Hyundai Starex Royale which sits 12 comfortably and I am their favourite person on Earth when they want a lift anywhere. Anyway, you will need to get a ticket at the automatic barrier to drive right up to the mall’s front entrance and it was really convenient especially when it was raining heavily. Then I can just drive to the exit barrier, slot in the ticket and the barrier would rise and let me out without having to pay a single sen (Malaysian
currency version of cent).
All that changed when I went to pick up my cousin and her boyfriend who were visiting us over the Chinese New Year with her family all the way from Australia. After picking them up from East Coast Mall’s Starbuck, I proceeded as usual to the exit barrier and slotted in my ticket. Bummer! The machine said I had not paid. Of course I did not pay! I did not bloody PARK did I? I thought maybe I took too long to get out and exceeded the time provided. Fair enough. I reversed the car and luckily it was a weekday night and there were no other cars behind. I found a safe spot to stop and got out to pay at the automated ticket machine inside the mall. RM1 I had to pay to get out.
Then last Saturday evening I dropped off Wifey and my 2 older girls to watch the locally produced Chinese Comedy, Ah Beng The Movie: Three Wishes; showing at Golden Screen Cinemas. It was a quick drop off. I was at the exit barrier within 30 seconds. F1 pit stop crew would have been proud of my pace but again I could not get out and because it was a Saturday evening, there were cars queuing behind me. I had to raise my hand out the window with the ticket in my hand waving frantically like a madman. Luckily they read my distress waving and back up so that I could back out and parked to one side safely. I had to pay RM2 because it was a weekend. And you know what? I was not the only one. Apparently all three exit barriers were jammed up because they too did not know they have to pay to get out even though they did not PARK!
East Coast Mall Car Park Management must be minting it by charging ENTRANCE FEE instead of Parking Fee. Definitely they will get the thumb down from me and I am sure I am not the only one feeling this. From now on I will call East Coast Mall by the name of East Coast Theme Park!