Taxi drivers have gone on strike at Kuching International Airport in protest against Uber and GrabCar ride-sharing services, according to Bernama. The taxi drivers’ protest, which began yesterday, however did not affect the airport’s flight operations, said Kuching International Airport senior manager Mohd Nadzim Hashim.
“The taxi service was affected since this morning as there was no taxi operating in KIA and passengers had to to use other means of transportation such as Uber, Grab service or call their family members to pick them up here,” he said.
The protesting drivers said that they are not sure how long the strike will last, Nadzim said after the airport made contact with the Kuching Taxi Owners Federation on when the drivers would resume operations. The protest was held at the compound of the old tate Legislative Assembly building in Petra Jaya where approximately 200 taxi drivers gathered to submit a memorandum in protest of the ride-sharing services.
The memorandum was addressed to Sarawak chief minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg and appealed for fair and healthy competition so that taxi drivers’ livelihood was not affected by the alternative (ride-sharing) service, said group spokesman Abdul Rahman Ahmad.
“There are many things that are unfair, taxi drivers are subject to various conditions and charges for picking up passengers while GrabCar and Uber drivers are given a lot of flexibility,” said Abdul Rahman, who is also vice president of Kuching Division Bumiputera Taxi Association.
Uber commenced its services in Kuching in September 2016, while GrabCar joined the fray in March last year. Taxi drivers have voiced their displeasure with ride-sharing service providers before, centred around the Klang Valley.
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Even the oldest occupation in this world use social apps to get customer
Why so hard to change??
Hahahahahaha… Good One.
Taxi drivers will soon be like dinosaur. Evolution will see to it.
Same story like Klang Valley teksi drivers. They also striked and boycott but in the end public won.
These are lazy people and so used to tongkat given to them for so many years that they cannot innovate and better themselves. Still loyal to their CRONY.
Hello kawan kawan, you KRONI days are over. You have a choice to join Grab and Uber…nobody is stopping you.
Not really. If we bring back that certain leader & his KRONI, then its back to the 90s.
#SayaRinduZamanTu…
Kan Maslan cakap betul, GST kurangkan kos hidup, makin ramai beli Honda. Terbukti ekonomi semakin kukuh, kenapa hangpa teksi pigi protes ?!
#maslanbingung.gif
in Kota Kinabalu, taxi charges RM45 for a less than 10 mins ride from Airport. while grab/uber charged RM10 or less. Which one do you prefer?
the displeasure voices by taxi driver is a fair statement. I think if taxi drivers were not obligated by too rules and regulations (permit, contact, license, Puspakom, insurance etc), they wouldn’t be so pissed off. or vice versa. if Uber and grab driver we’re obligated by such rules as well, I guessed they wouldn’t want to jump in happily just like todays.
be fair to everyone. less problem it would be
U do realised that Grabuber now is regulated with all that permit, inspection, etc, hence its legalised now, right?
tell us, does grabuber’s car has to go through Puspakom every 6 months and pay RM40 monthly for the permit (regardless of driving or not). or you just commenting from the roadside only?
Can the government come out with an mobile application similar to Uber & Grab, get all current taxi’s to use it. It would allow for users to rate the drivers and maybe it could force standard rating.
airport taxi have different higher rate than normal
Why? Any justification?
Kuching airport taxi drivers feeling butt hurt…..becoz other ride-sharing drivers are better and give cheaper service….
Only in Mesia, the weaklings always cry like big babies when candies are taken away from them…..
Tongkat no good…
taxi drivers can protest all they want and they can never put the e-hailing app out of business.
the only one that can put them out of business is themselves by cutting the drivers’ incentives and raise their commission. thus killing themselves when drivers opt not to drive anymore.
Haha, so clever, give all the business to uber and grab willingly.
Move on la taxi driver
level the playing field. make sure every driver follow the same regulation. demolished permit to company. give individual permit to everyone. introduced commission system like grabuber’s instead (you drive you pay). demolished Puspakom and all other nonsense procedure. make sure all cars below 5 years like grabuber’s. every taxi driver has to move to ehauling system. introduce merit/feedback system like grabuber’s. then we will see inprovement in car’s public transport in Malaysia. and we will see whether part time grabuber’s would jump in like crazy like what they did today.
With increasing of living cost nowdays, I believe everyone will look for a cheaper deal but, with the same result. In this case, taking passenger from Point A to Point B. Which party offer more value to the passenger, surely will win. Please think of what added value you may bring to win back passenger.
Keep making noise only. Why people prefer Grab or Uber over taxi? Why cann’t taxi changes the mode of their business. This is free trade world, we are free to make our choices. How many days can you continue? No need to earn money?
Because all Taxi Driver have to follow all the the rules that Government make for them. That why they have no choice. Can’t you think about this clearly?