It appears that taxi drivers have taken to the streets again in protest of app-based ride-sharing services like Uber and Grab. According to a posting on the TEKSI & PersimBersatu Facebook page, the cabbies will gather at several areas in Kuala Lumpur, including Bukit Bintang and KL Sentral.
A report by The Star stated that at 3.30 pm today (Friday), about 20 taxi drivers were grouped by the KL Sentral main station complex. Since then, the police have arrived to chase them off, but it appears that they are circling around the area, awaiting “reinforcements.”
As you can tell from these images going around social media, several roads, including Jalan Tun Razak, appear to be heavily congested as the result of the gathering cabbies. Social media users reThis will be the second time such a gathering will take place in the past two weeks.
On March 29, 2016, taxi drivers gathered along Jalan Bukit Bintang outside the Fahrenheit 88 mall to protest against ride-sharing services like Uber and Grab, which also resulted in heavy congestion in the area.
What are your thoughts on the matter? Will the ongoing war between ride-sharing services and conventional taxi drivers ever be resolved? And if so, what’s the best solution that is agreeable for both sides? For those in the affected areas, do update us on the current situation and which roads are congested as a result.
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AI-generated Summary ✨
Comments express frustration with taxi driver protests, citing road congestion, poor driver attitudes, and outdated vehicles as key issues. Many advocate for deregulation, allowing drivers to join ride-hailing services like Uber and Grab for better income and service quality. Several comments highlight how government policies and permit systems burden taxi drivers financially, with calls to abolish these barriers. Criticism is also directed at certain drivers' misconduct and the impact of protests on the public and economy. Overall, there is strong support for embracing competition, improving service standards, and integrating modern transportation solutions, alongside rejection of disruptive protests that harm public interest. Sentiments are largely negative towards current taxi practices, but positive about reform and competition as future solutions.