Cab drivers disillusioned by SPAD

KUALA LUMPUR: Cab drivers are in a fluster over the Land Public Transport Commission's (SPAD) initiatives to reform the taxi industry which will see the legislation of controversial ride sharing services in the country.
Malaysian Taxi Drivers' Transformation Association (Pers1m) president Kamaruddin Mohd Hussain said that the new legislation may "kill the industry".
"There will be an oversupply of taxis and it will kill the industry if Uber and Grab are allowed to operate under the same structure as cabs," he said.
He added that some 150,000 permits will be approved, which will cause an overflow in taxis and also an imbalance between users and drivers.
SPAD had held a town hall meeting today with all stakeholders to explain the 11 initiatives taken by Putrajaya to end a long standing spat between cabbies and ride-sharing services.
The initiatives that was stipulated and agreed upon by the Cabinet and SPAD will require e-hailing companies to register under the Companies Commission of Malaysia (SSM). Drivers will also be required to have a SPAD-approved driver identification card.
The proposal also sees cars being allowed, irrespective of make, to be used as public transport vehicles.
Big Blue Taxi Services founder Datuk Shamsubahrin Ismail, who was speaking to the media after the town hall meeting, said that SPAD's initiatives were nothing new and that the new proposals will send the taxi industry further downhill.
"This looks like they're serving the Uber industry and not the taxi industry," he said.
"I am really unhappy and so are all the taxi drivers. This will mean that your Myvi or Kancil can become a taxi. So when general cars become taxis, what happens to our industry ?" he questioned today.
He said that he wants the government to invest more in enforcement and infrastructure to improve the income of taxi drivers.
Cabbies came out of the town hall meeting with arms up in the air and with a tone of disapproval at the initiatives tabled by SPAD.