In a last-ditch effort to prevent unhappy taxi drivers from marching on with their planned protests this morning, the Klang Valley Taxi Drivers Action Committee has made a final plea to organisers of the protest to take a step back and reconsider their actions.
According to a report by The Sun Daily, several taxi association leaders have come out saying that these illegal protests will only cause further damage to their reputation, winning more public favour for services such as Uber and GrabCar.
Abdul Khalil Ali, a senior taxi driver from Shah Alam, expressed his concerns to the daily, saying that, “our reputation is already bad in the public eye because of a few bad apples. Please don’t make it worse since the public will hate us more. In the end, Uber and GrabCar will win.”
Today, November 18, it is reported that some 6,000 taxi drivers will be illegally gathering at Padang Merbok, Masjid Negara, the Craft Complex near Jalan Conlay, and at the Merdeka Square.
It has also been reported that the protestors would be demonstrating their unhappiness by blatantly causing traffic lockdowns in the KL city area amidst the ongoing ASEAN summit, which itself has caused several road closures.
Recently, Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) banned the proposed gathering, saying that it would not allow unhappy taxi drivers to disrupt traffic flow surrounding the ASEAN summit, but would consider approving a gathering after the official meet ends on November 22.
Echoing Ali’s statements, Malaysian Taxi, Limousine and Car Rental Operators and Drivers Association’s (Petekma) president, Shahrir Abdul Aziz also suggested that unhappy taxi drivers should take up their issues with the Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD) in a more civilised way.
“We (Petekma) also have several things we are not happy about and we also wish to highlight the problems plaguing the taxi industry. But we don’t and we won’t take to the streets,” said Shahrir.
He continued, “if it is true (blatant traffic disruptions), that would be a repeat of the taxi picket three years ago at Bukit Bintang which caused the city’s traffic to come to a standstill for several hours during the evening peak hour.”
Looking to sell your car? Sell it with Carro.
Actually, the big problem is SPAD. SPAD is allowing all this protest to go on. Why? Very simple.
SPAD’s chairman Albar’s wife owns many teksi companies. When Uber and Grabcar came into Malaysia, her companies lost a lot of money and is losing a lot of money.
So, SPAD, as any husband who is scared of his wife would do, quickly ban Uber and ban Grabcar.
You see, in Malaysia, there is no such thing as CONFLICT OF INTEREST.
SPAD is now closing an eye to all this violence and protest because Albar’s wife is not happy with slow business.
All these violence is approved by SPAD. Infact, it is indirectly sanctioned by SPAD.
Don’t forget, besides Albar’s wife, ALL the licenses for companies running cabs are all owned by UMNO big boys.
Nobody can touch them la
spot on my friend..market manipulation for personal interest
SPAD and BN Government are good… We help poor Rakyat to fight small corruption (big corruption are from donations). Just keep support BN we will reduce car price by 2020 and taxi drivers just showing taxis are not wrong only unlicensed is wrong !!!
Could also be the other way round though… They get these taxi drivers to make their reputation so horrible that SPAD have to legalize Uber & Grabcar (don’t forget that foreign companies who wishes to come into Malaysia needs at least 1 bumiputera director) Probably they giving those taxi drivers ‘loyalty privileges’ like new uber car after the job is done? Just random speculations, but either way also cronies manipulating the market…
Ministers got no balls to call the polis to stop all this nonsense because their own people in UMNO have all the contracts and teksi licenses.
When you got Ministers stealing from yatim and orphans, we cannot expect much from Ministers to control these hooligans.
Suddenly no more balls?
With road closures today in KL plus this protest, it will cause mayhem in KL.
PDRM scared to do anything. They only brave to arrest the jobless man who stole bread to feed his hungry children and encourage the Public Prosecutor to jail this guy for 10 years.
This Hooligans, PDRM dare not arrest. Why? Very simple. see who owns all the teksi companies. This is why PDRM is super scared.
PDRM will take action… because they disturbing the public and illegal gathering… those who breaking the law, authority will take action / for the higher level – yes there is some misconduct and alot of bad things going on and moreover all of the top level there keeping their eyes close.. but for the public safety pdrm will have full responsibility..
dont worry la.. all abang2 taxi driver got makan2 after demo.. some dato` and datin will speak for their taxi business also… those VIPs maa…
Want to protest then protest la. Apa mau wayang-wayang?
And this Petekma … sama je all these troublemakers group… all names start with “PE” and end with an “A” …
Come on! Bring on the FRU!
Whack these thugs with batons and spray them with chemicals.
most of taxi driver are hardcore supporters for BN and fix deposit for PRU. that why govem not dare to touch them
Do it, go cause havoc and it’ll be the death of your rice bowl.
Go ahead. And show the world just what a bunch of sore panhandlers you are.
Let the other ASEAN leaders see how much control your BN masters have over small issues like this.
Just protest as u like, in the end, u will just make your reputation even worse.
In light of what happened in Paris, the fact that this is an Islamic state, and it’s the first day of the 27th Asean summit. These drivers are digging their own graves. Since the government have to prove that our security is up to task, plus it’s better to lose a couple dozen supporters than potential multi-billion ringgit worth of foreign investments (face value of the government to other Asean leaders). If the Paris attach didn’t happened then the taxi could potentially win the government favor, I guess they aren’t interested in foreign news and politics? The next few days the authorities would probably be more hostile towards taxi drivers if the taxi drivers went full on with their protests, guess I’m avoiding taxi’s for now.
Protest for what? If your service is good and the fare is just, people will automatically patronize your business. There’s no way other service can take over your business.
But you all (not all) are like gangsters, providing lousy service, trying to cheat your customers, etc.
I have experience this personally several times myself.
What is there to protest la. Just join Uber or Grabtaxi and provide better service.
yesterday uber already sending out sms to their drivers to serve the city center because there will be disruption of public transport. Uber taking opportunity for their drivers to earn more as the taxi drivers protest.