SHAH ALAM, 26 Mar: Many taxi drivers who attended the individual taxi permit granting programme by the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak, felt cheated and disappointed to not have been informed earlier that only 1,000 taxi permits were to be given that day.
Chairman of the Metered Taxi Drivers Task Force (BBPTB), Amran Jan said that he and more than 6,000 taxi drivers who were present at the programme organised by the Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD) since early in the morning were required to fill out a form and only 1,000 selected were given the individual taxi permits.
“The majority of all that came were disappointed because we came at 8.30 in the morning, we had to fill out a form and then they (SPAD) said to submit it over there and they (SPAD) will process it.
“However when people argued over the counter, they (SPAD) said we can submit the forms after the stipulated time, meaning there is no expiry date and we can submit it at Putrajaya,” he told TV Selangor.
He said that the programme is only intended to show off in hopes that taxi drivers will continue to support Umno-BN in the upcoming 13th General Elections (GE-13).
During the programme, Najib announced giving 1,000 individual taxi permits and grant worth RM5,000 to each taxi driver for the purchase of a Proton Exora which is compulsory to be used as taxis.
According to Amran, giving out 1,000 individual taxi permits still does not solve the problems of taxi drivers.
“The PR Manifesto is to eliminate crony monopolies and taxi management companies by giving every taxi driver an individual taxi permit.
“Drivers will also be given Takaful insurance, although little, but it would cover SOCSO which taxi drivers have never gotten for over 40 years in the taxi industry,” he said.
In the meantime, the 1,000 taxi permits given by Najib still profits taxi companies and causes taxi drivers more burden because of the additional taxi permits.
According to Amran, until now there have been 80,000 taxi permits issued by SPAD and with the additional 1,000 individual taxi permits, this only increases problems faced by taxi drivers.
“Now even with 80,000, taxi drivers find it hard to earn a living, what more with an additional 1,000? They (SPAD) promised to give out permits annually. This means that permits for companies are not reduced, permits will be increased,” he added.
