Kl Cabbies - Ruining Our Reputation.
The following Malay Mail report is the experience of an expatriate in KL with the notorious KL taxi drivers.
In view of Visit Malaysia 2007, how about an article on tourists who may never return to the ‘Harrods of Malaysia’ — Kuala Lumpur City Centre (KLCC) —because taxi drivers are fleecing them? You could also highlight the fact that cheating tourists is now a favourite past time in many popular KL destinations.
I am an orang putih, having lived here for 10 years. I was at the KLCC this morning (on Monday) at 11.40am, and wanted to take a cab to the Mid-Valley Megamall. The first four taxis, waiting in a row, all wanted RM35 for the trip. In full view of the KLCC staff and several ‘Boys in Blue’ (not the police but City Hall, I think), these cabbies told me that I would have to pay up or walk. While they jeered at me, I hailed a passing taxi and its driver put on the meter. The trip cost RM7.80.
The association representing these cabbies has done nothing to stop this practice. The local authorities don’t care, but an expose by The MalayMail may just give them a kick in the pants. A simple comparison of cab charges imposed on your tame orang putih and a local should send a strong message.
For your information, for us ‘local’ white folks, the KLCC, MidValley Megamall, the Butterfly and Bird Parks, and places like the taxi stop at Carrefour Subang Jaya and KTM Komuter stop in Kelana Jaya, are filled with crooked cabbies. The good places where taxi drivers switch on the meters are Sungai Wang and 1 Utama.
**** There is a lot of truth to what this expat says. Its not only the tourist or the expat but even us locals who are cheated on a daily basis by these rude, obnoxious drivers who don't even see the need to disguise their hostility to their passengers.
Many are the complaints that have been aired time and again but the authorities couldn't care less because probably there is a powerful politician making big money through these dregs of humanity. It is common knowledge that the awarding of taxi permits is heavily laced with corruption and certain influential people are reaping most of the profits. If a hoo-haa is made about these cabbies then their involvement will eventually come out. Therefore any investigation or action on these errant drivers is very quietly suppressed and they are given free rein to cheat and literally rob not only the tourist but the entire unfortunate taxi using population.
It is high time for whoever is in charge to do something concrete about this matter. It has been kept hanging for too long and the end result is not only a bad name for the country but a damper on tourism, a very important foreign exchange earning sector.
In view of Visit Malaysia 2007, how about an article on tourists who may never return to the ‘Harrods of Malaysia’ — Kuala Lumpur City Centre (KLCC) —because taxi drivers are fleecing them? You could also highlight the fact that cheating tourists is now a favourite past time in many popular KL destinations.
I am an orang putih, having lived here for 10 years. I was at the KLCC this morning (on Monday) at 11.40am, and wanted to take a cab to the Mid-Valley Megamall. The first four taxis, waiting in a row, all wanted RM35 for the trip. In full view of the KLCC staff and several ‘Boys in Blue’ (not the police but City Hall, I think), these cabbies told me that I would have to pay up or walk. While they jeered at me, I hailed a passing taxi and its driver put on the meter. The trip cost RM7.80.
The association representing these cabbies has done nothing to stop this practice. The local authorities don’t care, but an expose by The MalayMail may just give them a kick in the pants. A simple comparison of cab charges imposed on your tame orang putih and a local should send a strong message.
For your information, for us ‘local’ white folks, the KLCC, MidValley Megamall, the Butterfly and Bird Parks, and places like the taxi stop at Carrefour Subang Jaya and KTM Komuter stop in Kelana Jaya, are filled with crooked cabbies. The good places where taxi drivers switch on the meters are Sungai Wang and 1 Utama.
**** There is a lot of truth to what this expat says. Its not only the tourist or the expat but even us locals who are cheated on a daily basis by these rude, obnoxious drivers who don't even see the need to disguise their hostility to their passengers.
Many are the complaints that have been aired time and again but the authorities couldn't care less because probably there is a powerful politician making big money through these dregs of humanity. It is common knowledge that the awarding of taxi permits is heavily laced with corruption and certain influential people are reaping most of the profits. If a hoo-haa is made about these cabbies then their involvement will eventually come out. Therefore any investigation or action on these errant drivers is very quietly suppressed and they are given free rein to cheat and literally rob not only the tourist but the entire unfortunate taxi using population.
It is high time for whoever is in charge to do something concrete about this matter. It has been kept hanging for too long and the end result is not only a bad name for the country but a damper on tourism, a very important foreign exchange earning sector.
posted by The Malaysian. at 7/06/2006 11:50:00 AM
2 Comments:
I can personally vouch that the orang putih is right. Our taxi drivers are thieves and gangsters. Nowadays I prefer to take a bus. Less hassle.
i agree on that. even I myself get offered really high cab fares only because my accent doesn't sound very local. it's such an apparent trend and i'm surprised that nothing has been done about it.
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