Najib announces financial incentives for taxi drivers

SERDANG: All taxi drivers that are qualified to apply for the Bantuan Rakyat 1Malaysia (BR1M) will receive automatic approval for the financial aid, said caretaker Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak.
"The decision was made after hearing from taxi drivers who failed to qualify for BR1M as they are registered under the Malaysian Companies Commission (SSM) as company owners.
"In Langkawi for instance, from the 982 taxi drivers that applied for BR1M, only 195 qualified while 425 failed as they are registered with SSM.
"The government strongly feels that in this matter, a slight injustice has occurred that needs to be corrected," he told around 10,000 taxi drivers during the Kad Bantuan Teksi 1Malaysia (KBT1M) handover programme at the Malaysia Agro Exposition Park Serdang (MAEPS), here today.
The programme also saw Najib announce that 67,000 taxi drivers nationwide who possess valid SPAD driver cards, will be given KBT1M as a one-off aid.
KBT1M, a scheme under the Taxi Industry Transformation programme (TITP) aims to empower the role of taxi drivers as transport service providers.
The KBT1M, he elaborated, also provides up to RM50,000 in Personal Accident Insurance coverage offered by Mesra-AXXESS, subject to terms and conditions.
The insurance coverage is valid as long as at least RM100 is spent using the Petronas Mesra card or KBT1M.
Card recipients must first activate the card.
The KBT1M, he said will contain a preloaded value of RM800 which can be utilised for petrol and NGV purposes nationwide.
"The RM800 amount in the future would be reviewed from time to time depending on the government's expenditure," he added.
Taxi drivers presently with Petronas Mesra cards can replace or combine them with KBT1M subject to terms and conditions by contacting Mesralink at 1-300-88-8181 for assistance.