In protest of app-based ride hailing services like Uber and GrabCar, a group of taxi drivers congregated and parked their vehicles outside the Fahrenreit 88 shopping mall along Jalan Bukit Bintang. The morning-afternoon incident caused access to the road to be blocked, resulting in a severe traffic jam.
For now, no taxi organisation has claimed responsibility for holding the impromptu (and inconvenient) protest. However, such an act may have been propagated by a recent decision from the Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD) not to ban these ride-sharing services.
In similar fashion, Indonesia cabbies held a protest rally in Jakarta not too long ago, demanding the government ban Uber and Grab. In a response, the Indonesia government stated that both companies must work with a local transport business and register their cars by the end of May if they want to continue operating.
We’ll continue to update this story as more information come in. What are your thoughts on the continued struggle between cabbies and ride-sharing services here in Malaysia? Do you think both sides can co-exist, or can only one triumph? Let us know in the comments below.
@ibrahimhalim13 road clear, some of the drivers hauled up by @pdrm @paultan @paultantk
— aduanSPAD 1800887723 (@aduanSPAD) 29 March 2016
UPDATE: According to a report by The Star, the police attempted to disperse the protest group at 11.30 am. However, the taxi drivers refused to budge, resulting in several arrests being made, including that of Malaysian Taxi Driver Transformation Association deputy president Kamarudin Mohd Hussain. However, Mohd Hussain said he was not the organiser of the protest, but merely there to support the gathering.
Aside from Mohd Hussain, three other taxi drivers were also arrested at the scene. The SPAD have said that they are aware of the situation and will issue an official statement soon. For now, the commission stated that the gathering has been cleared from Jalan Bukit Bintang, according to the Twitter post above.
Looking to sell your car? Sell it with Carro.
Faiz
on 
hahaha
on 
Gargantia
on 
Curi2 Malaysia
on 
Red Shirt Protestors Where?
on 
Nazee
on 
kzm (Member)
on 
Same L0rrrr
on 
Eric Chia
on 
Abang Alza Pakai Topi
on 
fg
on 
Daily Agenda of Teksi Driver.
on 
power rangers
on 
hohoboy
on 
Fair man
on 
Eff.Ur.SJW
on 
Fair man
on 
Jake
on 
OMG
on 
alldisc
on 
john is otak batu
on 
Sewel
on 
jo
on 
BL
on 
seancorr (Member)
on 
siaocom
on 
soso
on 
DB10
on 
UMW TOYOTA
on 
BeemerFreak
on 
Mozilla Chrome
on 
john
on 
TC
on 
albag
on 
Carl Lee
on 
Apa_Lagi_U_Mau?
on 
kk
on 
dr2
on 
Marec
on 
DK
on 
ben yap
on 
winwin
on 
Boy Racer (Member)
on 
Vincent
on 
transformer
on 
Kenny Foo
on 
Kay Khan
on 
jinggu mao
on 
Winner
on 
Alan
on 
T1mmy
on 
DON'T JUST LOOK AT THE SURFACE!
on 
ZAM
on 
Grabcar user
on 
AI-generated Summary ✨
The comments express mixed feelings about the taxi drivers' protest against ride-sharing services like Uber and GrabCar. Many criticize the taxi drivers for selfishness, bad service, and aggressive behavior, highlighting how ride-sharing services offer cheaper, more convenient alternatives. Several comments mention authorities' slow response, police inaction, and potential corruption within SPAD, suggesting the protest is disruptive and unnecessary. Others compare this protest to international actions, emphasizing its illegality and chaos, with some calling for stricter law enforcement. Overall, there is frustration towards the taxi drivers’ tactics, a preference for ride-sharing, and criticism of government regulation and leadership, implying the protest damages their credibility and the public’s trust.