The Malaysian Taxi Drivers, Limousine and Car Rental Operators Association (Petekma) has submitted a memorandum calling for the ban of ride-sharing services to the government. This was one of its four proposals for budget 2016, which also included delaying the price increase of NGV fuel, putting off any additional toll hikes, and the reduction of GST for public transport.
Petekma president Mohd Syahrir Abdul Aziz said that ride-sharing service like Uber and GrabCar were putting passengers at risk because they are not regulated by the government. He said that if these drivers want to be part of the public transport sector, they should subject themselves to the same processes and certifications as taxis.
The memorandum also asked the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission to consider banning the apps themselves, with Mohd Syahrir saying that Petekma “are unsure of the safety of their services.”
Ride-sharing services currently occupy a legal grey area in Malaysia. As far as the Land Public Transport Commission is concerned, the drivers are allowed to operate as long as they obtain the proper license. However, many of these drivers do not bother with the the license.
The popularity of ride-sharing services has been a point of contention for many taxi drivers. Numerous protests have been held calling for a government crackdown on Uber and GrabCar, and some cabbies have even begun to take matters into their own hands by harassing anyone they suspect of being an Uber driver.
[Source: The Star]
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