Will Public Caravan Parks Be Eventually Taken Over By Squatters

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LAST week, Sepang Municipal Council (MPSepang) president Dr Ani Ahmad disclosed that a 11-plot caravan park, a pilot project funded by the Housing and Local Government Ministry with an allocation of RM500,000, would be launched during Pesta Pantai Bagan Lalang, a biennial beach festival, which was held last weekend.
She said the park will be equipped with facilities including toilets, prayer room, management office, and tourist information centre.
As such, MPSepang will be incurring overheads such as operating costs that include salaries for staff collecting parking fees for caravans and giving information which could easily be provided online.
However, the fees collected from caravan parking are unlikely to cover the salaries of government employees and miscellaneous expenses, as charging higher would deter caravanners from using the facility.
No sane entrepreneur would buy or rent a piece of suitable land, build a road into it, cover the parking area with tarmac, install piped water and electricity points, and turn it into a caravan park. Hence, their numbers are few.
These parks are likely to attract caravan operators when new, but their popularity would wane over time as many continue to seek new sites and fresh experiences.
When caravan parks are found to be mostly empty rather than full, and parking fees dropped to the bare minimum, some people would think of ways to make use of them.
Old vans that can still be driven could be bought for a few hundred ringgit, or those that are no longer roadworthy could be towed and left in such caravan parks.
Adding a makeshift roof over the van will keep it cool, and with electricity and water supply, the van can be comfortable living, and interesting with beach activities nearby.
Eventually, spaces between the stationary vans will be shielded from the sun and rain to house more people, and open areas used for home farming.
Chickens could be reared in cages for meat and eggs, and their droppings utilised as fertilisers for growing vegetables, spreading foul smell around the vicinity.
Rain and wastewater stagnated in puddles would form perfect breeding grounds for mosquitoes, including the Aedes variety, that spreads dengue fever which can be deadly.
Such an ecosystem will also attract many other insects and wildlife, including toads, frogs, snakes and monitor lizards.
If not already fully occupied by squatters, enterprising people could convert old vans and rent them out as cheap accommodation for tourists on a shoestring budget who are prepared to use public toilets to ease and clean themselves. If so, spending half a million ringgit on a pilot caravan park project does not look like a good idea.
More than three years ago, I wrote “Paid accommodation ‒ bringing tourism to your doorstep” and discussed at length about motorised mobile homes, which may be called campers, campervans, caravans, house trailers, motorhomes, or recreational vehicles.
What they have in common is that they can be driven on public roads and stop wherever it is safe for several hours during the day or overnight at choice camping spots.
The plan is to stock up what is needed before the trip, including uncooked food, spend minimal along the way, and none on accommodation.
As they are motor vehicles, they fall under the ambit of the Road Transport Department (RTD) and may require additional licensing from Land Public Transport Agency (LPTA) in the peninsula, or Commercial Vehicle Licensing Board (CVLB) in Sabah and Sarawak, especially when used for rental business.
Therefore, it may be better to build a tiny bedroom with a toilet/bath on a small trailer with a single axle on two wheels.
A structure on wheels parked temporarily does not fall under the jurisdiction of local authorities, and without a motor does not require registration or road tax with RTD, or a permit from LPTA or CVLB.
Small trailer homes can easily be towed by a pickup or small tow truck and be left at a location temporarily or for a length of time for use by tourists, visiting family members, relatives or friends, or for those working on a site project or major event.
Any building owner with open empty space that can accomodate one or more caravans or trailer homes can play host by installing water and electricity points and charging for services provided.
Or they could invest in several trailer homes and rent them out without sacrificing their own comfort, or compromising on safety and security.
They can range from houses located in urban and rural areas to smaller factories and warehouses, hotels and chalets, farms and plantations, and even clubhouses in golf courses.
All these services will be at no cost to the government, and at the same time allow more people and businesses to benefit and promote domestic tourism. 
YS Chan is master trainer for Mesra Malaysia and Travel and Tours Enhancement Course and an Asean Tourism Master Trainer. He is also a tourism and transport business consultant.
The views expressed are solely of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of  MMKtT.
- Focus Malaysia.

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