PORT DICKSON: A picnicker who brought along a straw mat to the public beach area at Teluk Kemang was charged RM5 for the “mat fee” for picnicking at a five-foot-way.

Unhappy with the fee, he posted a receipt on Facebook and said he would never go to Port Dickson again.

He also wrote that the number of receipt reached 3096 and this excluded those who did not ask for a receipt.

“How much money did the council make?” he asked.

His post was supported by netizens pointing fingers at the council for imposing such fee.

Port Dickson Municipal Council (MPPD) president Mohd Zamri Mohd Esa defended the fee, saying the collection was to handle trash and upgrade facilities.

The Wellness Zone at Teluk Kemang beach was managed by a contractor appointed by the council, he said, adding that the size of the crowd at the five-foot-way increased which created more trash.

“As the number of tourists and crowd increases, the volume of trash is also up. Many do not clear the trash left at the five-foot-way before leaving the place. The RM5 fee is to clean up the area and upgrade the facilities there,” he said.

Mohd Zamri stressed that although the receipt is for mat fee, the fee collected is used to handle garbage.