The acronym NATO? It stands for "No Action, Talk Only" and is widely used in Malaysia to reflect people who just talk a lot but do not do much.

Unfortunately, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Nazri Abdul Aziz has turned into one of these people with his recent comments about taxi drivers being the No 1 problem (according to tourists to Malaysia, with No 2 being dirty toilets).

The taxi drivers associations, as expected, got their guard up and started challenging Nazri, who smiled for the cameras and lapped up the adulation from a frustrated, angry and desperate public.

The members of Transit are equally frustrated and angry with all sides in this dispute. We are especially angry when we hear childish comments and challenges passing for public transport policy.

Since Nazri was put in charge of the orphan CVLB in June, what has he accomplished to change or improve taxi services in this country? Sure, there were a few joint operations but most of the work was done in KL and done by the JPJ and DBKL enforcement officers.

But the only resounding difference between the BN (Before Nazri) period and the AN (After Nazri) period is the increased taxi fares and a new SMS number (15888) for CVLB complaints. And if you look at most of the taxis on the road, they are proudly displaying the old sticker (with SMS 39900).

Let's face it, the CVLB has less than 60 enforcement officers for the whole of Peninsular Malaysia. They do not even have enough enforcement officers to catch the plainly obvious ‘bad apple’ taxi drivers who hang out in plainly illegal taxi stands at KLCC and Bukit Bintang (let alone other points in the Klang Valley) and do their best to cheat tourists and locals alike (and sometimes even CVLB officers).

Despite all the bold talk from Nazri and CVLB Director Halimah Sadique's comments about not renewing permits of taxi drivers who do not issue receipts, Transit can see that the CVLB is perhaps the most toothless out of all the 'toothless tigers' in the Malaysian civil service.

And despite all the talk from Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak about his commitment to improve public transport as one of his 6-six National Key results Areas, the government did not even include money to hire more enforcement officers for the CVLB in the 2010 Budget.

Not to mention that the Government Transformation Program's (GTP) proposals for urban public transport (created by a special "Urban Public Transport Panel") has no suggestions about taxi service except that they express the hope that the new Public Land Transport Commission (which may have 650 enforcement staff) will be able rein them in - perhaps in 2-3 years when it is all organised.

Despite all the talk from Nazri, including promises that taxi services would improve after the fares were increased, Transit has yet to see any firm commitment or action other than a few joint enforcement activities. Nazri hasn't even called for more money to hire more officers.

As for the promise that taxi drivers who do not issue receipts would not get their license renewed, what is the point of this statement? It is an insult to both sides because the good taxi drivers feel like they are the ‘bad guys’ while the real ‘bad guy’ taxi drivers would not bat an eye when the toothless tiger roars.

The members of Transit humbly propose that Nazri take action by getting an immediate emergency allocation to hire a few hundred enforcement officers for the CVLB.

The writer represents pro-public transport NGO, Transit .