The Chief Minister getting arrested wasn’t the only commotion to happen in Georgetown yesterday. Some 200 taxi drivers gathered at Penang’s Esplanade for a four-hour strike and protest against the legalising of Uber and Grab, The Star reports. They then convoyed to Komtar, the airport, Eastin Hotel and the Sungai Nibong bus terminal.
Penang Taxi Associate Association secretary Mohamad Shahimi Hadzri appealed to the Prime Minister to do something to prevent the taxi industry from collapsing.
“We ask that the government take our plight into consideration. Our income has gone down 70% since Uber and GrabCar started operating in Penang. The government needs to remember that we are also voters here in Penang. Taxi drivers used to earn over RM200 a day but now, we barely earn RM50 a day. How can we survive like this?” he said, adding that if Sabah could ban the app-based ride hailing services, Penang should follow suit.
“We will also be filing a police report similar to the one filed by the Kuala Lumpur Taxi Association against Uber and GrabCar as well as another police report against former minister Tan Sri Abdul Wahid Omar for his stint as an Uber driver,” he added, referring to the former minister in the PM’s department, who ferried people to “try to feel the pulse of the public”.
Cabbies like P. Gunasegaran, 40, who has been a taxi driver for 14 years, are struggling. “Before both these services came along, I used to earn RM250 a day and now, there are days when we don’t even earn anything. Some taxi drivers have to pay rental for their vehicles on top of fuel. On average, car rental and fuel will cost up to RM110 a day,” he explained.
S. Valayutham, 42, who owns a radio call taxi company, said that the rise of Uber would create social problems. He said that Uber drivers with their big expensive cars were not doing it for the money, but only to meet women.
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I am sponsoring 200 goodie bags for the disgruntled cabbies. It’s a month’s supply of facial whitening products to give our cabbies some glow while protesting. Nothing can go wrong with white cabbies right?
“The government needs to remember that we are also voters here in Penang.”
Taxi drivers are all bodo bangang. Why don’t they vote for BN instead?
Betui. Cuz they voted supreme CM, so Gov dun gip an F to them. Now they wanna cry to Gov. Why dun they cry to dramasamy lah!
If they wear BN flags there, they have high chance to get whatever they want. Malaysia looks on political party, not justice.
There you learning something. Those that support BN will get what they want while those who oppose BN will be get rid of like LGE. Smart pipu know who to vote
You must be psychologically wounded in the brain to be continuously going around leaving naive comments by impersonating a person whose just as brainless as you are. Well done!
When RBAs ran out of ideas, brains, and balls, they impersonate others just to run us down. Bunch of clowns who cant even save their supreme CM
Your otak mmg tak betul. Your hatred only shows your stupidity. What does this got to do with supreme CM?
OMG…ask SPAD faster solve this issue for u all, u attack Uber or protest also useless 1.
RM250x30 days = rm7500? Omg. How much of that is by using the meter?
While taxi drivers are busy protesting, Grab and Uber drivers are busy doing their services. Carry on protesting, better for them Uber and Grab drivers.
Protex la.
people definitely go for cheaper ride to same destination.
why give you earn so much when you dont even bother to turn on goddaxm meter.
Its a constantly evolving world. Some things are bound to be replaced by others, as humans come up with more advanced technologies. Wait till autonomous cars become prevalent. Neither cabbies nor Uber/Grab drivers will be working anymore then. Cos the car will drive itself to wherever the passenger wants to go. After that, Uber drivers and cabbies can combine forces and protest against Google.
Google aka Skynet will send Terminators to terminate all cabbies/uber/grabcar drivers.
Uber and Grab are haram. Why don’t Dear Leader in Penang do something about it? Ini semua salah LGE
Some are programmed or brainwashed robots. They can’t help it.
Uber and Grab are haram, allmost taxi driver haram jadah.
Opportunity to be an “entrepreneur” not “slave” or maybe the protest is actually from the so-called “entrepreneur”.
already informed all my Uber friends to prepare weapons in their vehicles just in case crazy taxi drivers buat kacau. enough is enough, dont challenge us! you come kacau us again, we will make sure your wont reach home at night!
For your info, charges for taxi in Penang is SUPER HIGH, not reasonable at all. It can be one time or two times higher than Uber charges. Dear taxi, please look into the mirror.
i stop driving taxi and join uber with my new perodua axia…income problem solved. my protest when i can earn better? =D
One of the cabbies mentions that the cost of rental and fuel is upto RM110 per day. Assuming 22 working days a month, that’s RM2,400/month in cost. I don’t see how that makes any sense. It is my understanding that taxi cars are excise duty free. And these are old Proton cars. Comparatively, one can own a new Honda City (with excise duty and GST on top) and the cost of ownership will barely reach RM1,500/month accounting for loan repayment, fuel, insurance, maintenance, and tyres.
Either this guy is talking rubbish or the taxi system is seriously f’ed up.
nasib la labu..even retailers are having a hard time because of online shopping..but they adapt..taxi companies & drivers?? NO..they only complain
Exactly, 99speedmart is killing many small convenience stores, but did they go to 99speedmart destroy their stuffs?
For things to change, one must change first. You don’t want to change, the changes will force you to change. Please improve yourself before you go hoo ha and looks like a joker to the world.
Only one thing don’t change: BN
It will always have control of Malaysia
Association lagi? All these persatuan, gabungan persatuan-persatuan always have something to protek, protes and diperjuangkan. These people will form persatuan wherever they go or whatever they do. Afraid to act alone and stay behind persatuan.
LGE mana… oh wai…
Support taxi = anti Uber = anti SPAD = anti Najib
It is one thing to protest and get your voice heard but another thing to be professional at your job. There is a meter in every taxi for a reason. For years many irresponsible taxi drivers had the luxury to rip off their customers and even gave a bad name to the country by cheating tourists. Out of all the protest, is there even any mention that they will improve their service or match the price that Uber or Grabcar are offering? They just want to get rid of Uber and Grabcar so that they go back to cheating their customers. I do pity the taxi drivers, I really do BUT only the good and honest ones.
just stop driving taxi and join uber or grab car…be smart…took the chance/piece of cake laa
Their car too substandard for uber / grabcar. Everyone see their car coming all cancel. Sama will be no income. hahahahah!
u think they want to join? Uber won’t allow them to charge the passengers without using meter. taxi drivers that use meter could either still doing okay or driving for Uber already.
I’ll boycott you until your service is better than Uber/Grab
“The government needs to remember that we are also voters here in Penang.”
Uber/Grabcar drivers are voters too. LOL!
They obviously do not know how voting works. And we vote with our money and if taxis aren’t getting business, they are not getting the money votes.
Gov dun gip an F to them cuz they voted supreme CM
Drive their big cars to meet women. Lol… joke of the day.
puasa but still thinking about hot hot sexy sexy wear short short girls. otak sperm
I’m pretty sure Mr. S Valuyatham is an Indian fellow and is not fasting.
Mr S.V….You talk about social problem? …Uber drivers are not as pervert as you thought…
200 barbarians gathered at Penang’s Esplanade talk cock sing song.
Uber drivers meeting women???/ Wakakakaka!!!!!!!! This is a good one
Maybe if they use the meter people would use them. They don’t use the meter, overcharge like hell, then blame Uber and Grab for “stealing” their income? Pui.
nowadays, with this immoral behavior, who’s gonna be your customers? mosquitoes and flies only la…
why don’t all this scumbag ditch your cab and change to uber/grabcar?
less bureaucracy, more income.
Tahu cakap orang lain “haram” sendiri tak haram ke? Tipu duit orang lain tak guna meter tak haram ke?
Sentiasa protest protest block jalan jalan semua menganggu pemandu lain tak haram ke?
I personally don’t think Uber and Grab car is the main cause of collapsing the taxi industry.
I strongly believe it is the attitude of the uncivilized taxi drivers which are causing the taxi industry in Malaysia to collapse.
Which also cause those civilized taxi drivers ( who follow the law using meter, being polite, drive safely, no scam, clean and tidy taxi) to lose their business because of the perception the uncivilized taxi drivers have created towards the public.
You must be service orientated in order to be competent! My supplier was charged RM40 for a mere 3km ride from hotel to my office. The f**king taxi driver didn’t even want to turn on the meter even my supplier requested for it, citing that peak hours, difficulty to call a taxi, etc etc. I introduced Grab app to him and the next day, he told me he was charged only RM12 even though the meter showed RM12.30. He was all happy. Please support Grab and Uber until the taxi drivers improve their service!
Taxi drivers will never improve. Hold on to the grab number!
Monopoly is bad for cusmers, at least now we have choice : Ubber, Grab, Taxi last choice we have enough bad experience with Taxi Drivers, they have millions of reasons and excuses to get more out of their customers than the services they offer. Customers happy at lease the choice is customer privilage, public protest is not the best option for Taxi Drivers : polite, honesty, genuine, helpful, mileage or meter in use all the time, no go round and round to reach distination next street only. Customers have soft heart for any transport Divers, Ubber, Grab, Taxi if they experience good service. Please change your attitude etc to attract cusyomers, your luck does not drop from the sky. Customers are human they know who give a better service. Please don’t talk about votes, that is wrong, that is lift service. Everybody is voting include customers and Ubber, Grab, Taxi Drivers, secret and personal. Modern world no more old tricks, does not work anymore.
never see McD protest when KFC, burger king, A&W or etc come to open their fast food market.
even now McD do even better to fight them back. this is call marketing competition. Cabbie should do this too. not think that we all should take cabbie.
we and also tourist has their own choices. we will choose your service if your service is cheaper and better than UBER and GRAB.
current attitude of you wont help yourself but just bring down your own business…
take this opportunity to join GRAB (previously know as MyTeksi). help bloom up your business instead of turn yourself protest like a monkey to ask Gov to give you Banana.
>implying they vote for Pakatan in the first place. lel
with that sampah attitude they can all sau pei la
Why are the taxi drivers complaining ? It is they themselves who have ruined their reputation !
The govt must support uber and grab. Please do it for the people.
These taxi drivers…are they not disturbing the peace etc? Arrest them
Just stop driving taxi to protest