Taxi drivers to PM: We are struggling
PUTRAJAYA: Gabungan Teksi SeMalaysia (GTSM) today appealed to Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad to intervene and solve problems facing the taxi industry in Malaysia.
Speaking at a press conference after delivering a memorandum to the Prime Minister’s Office, GTSM president Kamarudin Mohd Hussain said about 2,000 taxi drivers nationwide gathered today to press for equality.
He said that taxi drivers’ livelihood have been affected after e-hailing companies started offering private vehicle services to the public.
Kamaruddin also alleged that e-hailing services contravened the Road Transport Act 1987 and the Land Public Transport Commission Act 2010.
He added that GTSM has lost faith in Transport Minister Anthony Loke, claiming the latter had turned a deaf ear to their plight.
“We are disappointed with Anthony Loke as he had closed the door for negotiations and made unilateral decisions without any research,” he said.
“We have been sidelined by the ministry as the latter was more concerned about giving protection to corporate companies, particularly Grab despite e-hailing services going against the law,” said Kamaruddin.
Taxi drivers at the PMO carried placards saying ‘Long live Taxis’, ‘Tun M please save our rice bowl’, “YB Loke is arrogant’ and ‘Please do not rob taxi drivers’ of our earnings’.
Earlier, the association had also sought to meet ministers in resolving fare adjustments, commissions and getting the authorities to apply fair rules between taxis and e-hailing services.
