Stubborn Cabbies Turn To Umno Politicians. Are We Surprised?
The decision to revoke taxi permits of those who refuse to use the meter is finally rattling cabbies here. Shocked by the tough stance taken by the Commercial Vehicles Licensing Board (CVLB) and the Road Transport Department, cabbies here are now trying to seek political intervention to stop action against them.
The Federation of Penang Taxi Drivers Association secretary Osman Majid said he had tried to meet Entrepreneur and Co-operative Development Minister Datuk Mohamed Khalid Nordin, but the minister had declined . "We will now try to get the state Umno to help us arrange the meeting," he said when contacted yesterday.
"Our stand is very clear. We are willing to use the meter, but the rates must be increased." When told that the rates in Penang were already higher than those in other places, an angry Osman retorted that it was not easy to make a living as a taxi driver on the island.
Pressed on why drivers were still not using the meter despite repeated warnings, Osman snapped back that the federation would continue lobbying for higher rates. "We have always said we have no problem with using the meter, but the rates must be increased. I hope those in power will talk to us. "I do not want to see any more drivers losing their permits," he said, adding that the federation had also formed an action committee to appeal on behalf of the 32 taxi drivers whose licences were revoked recently.
**** For safe measure the cunning taxi ketua said that almost 90 per cent of the 1,300 taxi drivers in the state were Malays, mostly retired civil servants. Yup. Malay, the magic word he hopes will get him and the other errant cabbies out of this sticky situation which is of their own making. Where did they learn that there is a shortcut to achieving their objectives, brusquely bypassing procedures and the observance of the law? I wonder who taught these relatively less educated cab drivers that sometimes by pressing the correct buttons or repeating some oft used ploy like screaming 'Umno' or 'bumiputera,' things actually get done to their satisfaction and to hell with the law?
Will Khairy Jamaluddin and his demo kakis at Umno, stage a protest in front of the Commercial Vehicles Licensing Board office to berjuang for their 'marginalised' teksi bradders in Penang? Or perhaps since they can't blame this on the Penang CM and therefore no political capital can be made, they'll let the Malay cab drivers fend for themselves?
The only way for these crooked cabbies is either to accept defeat and use meters, or somehow blame this compulsory taxi meter requirement and the crackdown on and removal of taxi permits on the Gerakan Party, claiming that it is yet another devious plan to marginalise Penang Malays. That should sufficiently invigorate the Umno apparatus or at least wake up the Penang Umno from its daily slumber. Who knows, this time Pak Lah may not only tick off Koh Tsu Koon publicly, he may even sack him. Then God willing there won't be any more worries or taxi meters and semuanya ok!
The Federation of Penang Taxi Drivers Association secretary Osman Majid said he had tried to meet Entrepreneur and Co-operative Development Minister Datuk Mohamed Khalid Nordin, but the minister had declined . "We will now try to get the state Umno to help us arrange the meeting," he said when contacted yesterday.
"Our stand is very clear. We are willing to use the meter, but the rates must be increased." When told that the rates in Penang were already higher than those in other places, an angry Osman retorted that it was not easy to make a living as a taxi driver on the island.
Pressed on why drivers were still not using the meter despite repeated warnings, Osman snapped back that the federation would continue lobbying for higher rates. "We have always said we have no problem with using the meter, but the rates must be increased. I hope those in power will talk to us. "I do not want to see any more drivers losing their permits," he said, adding that the federation had also formed an action committee to appeal on behalf of the 32 taxi drivers whose licences were revoked recently.
**** For safe measure the cunning taxi ketua said that almost 90 per cent of the 1,300 taxi drivers in the state were Malays, mostly retired civil servants. Yup. Malay, the magic word he hopes will get him and the other errant cabbies out of this sticky situation which is of their own making. Where did they learn that there is a shortcut to achieving their objectives, brusquely bypassing procedures and the observance of the law? I wonder who taught these relatively less educated cab drivers that sometimes by pressing the correct buttons or repeating some oft used ploy like screaming 'Umno' or 'bumiputera,' things actually get done to their satisfaction and to hell with the law?
Will Khairy Jamaluddin and his demo kakis at Umno, stage a protest in front of the Commercial Vehicles Licensing Board office to berjuang for their 'marginalised' teksi bradders in Penang? Or perhaps since they can't blame this on the Penang CM and therefore no political capital can be made, they'll let the Malay cab drivers fend for themselves?
The only way for these crooked cabbies is either to accept defeat and use meters, or somehow blame this compulsory taxi meter requirement and the crackdown on and removal of taxi permits on the Gerakan Party, claiming that it is yet another devious plan to marginalise Penang Malays. That should sufficiently invigorate the Umno apparatus or at least wake up the Penang Umno from its daily slumber. Who knows, this time Pak Lah may not only tick off Koh Tsu Koon publicly, he may even sack him. Then God willing there won't be any more worries or taxi meters and semuanya ok!
posted by The Malaysian. at 10/13/2006 04:08:00 PM
3 Comments:
Here in Malaysia, taxi operators and drivers are kings. And yet, Malaysian commuters are usually given a raw deal or being ripped off. Over in Singapore, they are contemplating using the Toyota Camry for their taxi fleets. How are we to compete?
http://pablopabla.blogspot.com/2006/10/toyota-camry-to-be-used-for-malaysian.html
It's so much easier if they could just issue Permit To Rob(PtR) to these cabbies. It should be followed by other states too, why the need to trouble Khairee the Frat Boy? He's too busy geting busy with Maya Kerim.
I recently visited Kuala Lumpur, and I have to tell you - I won't be coming back.
It was extremely hard to get around the city and, despite the heavy smog from the Sumatran fires, I had to spend most of my time walking from place to place because:
a) The public transport system is made up of a clutch of unaffiliated lines - you have to buy a different ticket for every stage of your journey (subway, monorail, etc).
b) The taxi fare being asked to go from Times Square down to the bus station changed hourly from 10 to 15 to 20 r depending on what the driver felt like.
I have three semester breaks a year (I live in Vietnam) and I usually try to get away and see different parts of Southeast Asia.
I have to say that it is harder to get around and see Kuala Lumpur than any other major city in the region. Even Phnom Penh - which has no public transport to speak of - is easier to get around. At least the taxi drivers charge a standard fare.
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