Special union for taxi drivers to be established

KUALA LUMPUR: A national union of taxi drivers will be established to safeguard the interest of taxi drivers who now have to compete with online pirate taxi services such as the GrabCar and Uber.
The lawyer representing the taxi drivers, R. Kengadharan said the union would become a platform to fight for their rights and interests and help solve their problems.
"As the government and the Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD) are seen as not being serious about the plight of taxi drivers, it is the right time to take the matter to court.
"The union should have more than 50,000 members to allow it to take legal action against anybody," he said at a gathering with taxi drivers in the Klang Valley, here today.
He also proposed that SPAD obtained a restraining order against Uber and GrabCar from operating a taxi business in the country because their actions were illegal.
Malaysian Taxi Drivers' Transformation Association (PERS1M) deputy chairman Kamarudin Mohd Hussain said the taxi drivers would hold a peaceful rally on Nov 18 aimed at getting the government's attention to reshuffle SPAD and to be more concerned on improving the taxi drivers' economy and welfare.
He said the rally which was scheduled to start at 10am would be held at three locations namely Padang Merbok, The Federal Territory Mosque, and another location that would be confirmed later. — Bernama