Penang Cabbies Standoff - Who Will Triumph?
I would like to place my bet on the cab drivers. Although the Penang state government is talking tough I don't give them a chance against the tenacity of the cabbies.
The state authorities are bravely saying - No compromise! Taxi drivers who refused to use metres and "strike", causing hardships to passengers and tourists in the state will have their permits cancelled. Local Government, Traffic Management, Information and Community Relations Committee Chairman Datuk Dr Teng Hock Nan said that "the Commercial Vehicles Licencing Board will from today withdraw the permits of such drivers and distribute them to other drivers."
He added, the relevant authorities including the police and the Road Transport Department officers dressed in civilian clothes were carrying out checks. He was responding to the action by 35 per cent of taxi drivers who refused to operate because they opposed the metre system on the island. The metre system was stalled for 10 years in Penang because of opposition from drivers. There are currently 1,043 taxi owners in the state and most of them are members of taxi associations. Dr Teng urged commuters to use taxis which use metres only.
For ten years these blokes have been getting away with it because the authorities don't have the stomach for a head-on clash with the cab drivers and their backers. As if this tough talk is going to scare them. After a while when they find out that the cabbies aren't running scared, chances are that the government will as usual give them 'more time' to adjust to the metred concept and everything will be the usual cut-throat situation again. Semuanya OK lah brudder!
The state authorities are bravely saying - No compromise! Taxi drivers who refused to use metres and "strike", causing hardships to passengers and tourists in the state will have their permits cancelled. Local Government, Traffic Management, Information and Community Relations Committee Chairman Datuk Dr Teng Hock Nan said that "the Commercial Vehicles Licencing Board will from today withdraw the permits of such drivers and distribute them to other drivers."
He added, the relevant authorities including the police and the Road Transport Department officers dressed in civilian clothes were carrying out checks. He was responding to the action by 35 per cent of taxi drivers who refused to operate because they opposed the metre system on the island. The metre system was stalled for 10 years in Penang because of opposition from drivers. There are currently 1,043 taxi owners in the state and most of them are members of taxi associations. Dr Teng urged commuters to use taxis which use metres only.
For ten years these blokes have been getting away with it because the authorities don't have the stomach for a head-on clash with the cab drivers and their backers. As if this tough talk is going to scare them. After a while when they find out that the cabbies aren't running scared, chances are that the government will as usual give them 'more time' to adjust to the metred concept and everything will be the usual cut-throat situation again. Semuanya OK lah brudder!
posted by The Malaysian. at 8/04/2006 11:25:00 AM
4 Comments:
the whole not-using-meter shit is such a bull that in Penang you have to pay RM 10 for a trip that cost perhaps RM 3-4 in KL. That's the reason people don't use taxi, and why the whole public cab business is in such a horshit state
That is why I cycled to school/tuition/everywhere when I was growing up.
wah...so much slaughter wan arr....its about time that government do something. I don't even know that they don't use meter there.
The cab driver must be rich there
Semuapun boleh 'kau-tim'punyahlah!!
This IS KAU-TIMLAND !!
And for the sake of party and religion, you are immune from all and any form of persercution. Amen !
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