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Ending taxi permit monopoly will improve service
Published:  Dec 30, 2012 9:30 AM
Updated: 2:05 AM

YOURSAY 'Such a simple idea, giving taxi drivers direct permits, yet it's so earthshattering. What have these taxi drivers been doing all these BN years?'

'We asked for permits, but they gave tyres'

your say Longjaafar: PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim says it's an easy thing to implement. I disagree. To BN, it is very, very difficult, because those that have been given permits by the hundreds are very influential, especially in Umno.

They have been sucking the blood of taxi drivers for decades, and are totally dependent on this immoral income. They will not give up easily. So it is very difficult, but only for BN. For Pakatan Rakyat, it will be a cinch.

1Mockery: Why should cronies squeeze the taxi drivers RM40 per day per taxi? Assuming the crony got just 100 taxi licences, he is earning RM4,000 per day or RM120,000 per month out of the misery of the driver.

That's not all, the ‘menteri samseng' sells licences at RM6,000 each. Indeed, at every corner, they whack the poor rakyat.

Onyourtoes : Yes, this is a good one - we asked for taxi permits, they gave tyres. Everything BN-Umno does is to hoodwink and to provide temporary relief, never a long-term sustainable solution.

And this is even before the election. After the election, I can assure you not even temporary relief would be forthcoming.

They keep telling us about fuel subsidies, but they have never told us about the approved permits (APs) and exorbitant car taxes. They tell us the minimum wage (even at RM900) is too much, but they never tell us the country is being inundated by foreigners.

They tell us about sugar, rice and flour subsidies, but they never tell us the monopolies they created to benefit the cronies.

They tell us the need for the Langat 2 water treatment plant in Selangor, but they never tell us the cost. They tell us the need for the Lynas rare earth plant, but they never tell us the inherent long-term health and environmental effects.

They opiate us with BR1M, smartphone subsidies, KR1M and what not, but they never tell us the long-term effects of government finance, inflation and proper functioning of the economy.

They tell us how the listing of Felda was to benefit the settlers, but the reality it was to benefit the big-time cronies, the facilitators, and the deal makers. Seriously if Umno-BN can bring real reforms, pigs can fly.

NH Gong: Such a simple idea, giving taxi drivers direct permits, yet it's so earthshattering. What have these taxi drivers been doing all these BN years? Were they hoping for heaven's intervention?

Anonymous #32993250 : There is nothing left for the rakyat as everything has been given to the Umnoputras and cronies. We the rakyat will get crumbs, and only just before elections.

Mirror On The Wall: Because the political structure is dependent on cronyism, nobody without connections will get anything out of BN. They are so caught up in the system of reward and punishment, that they won't be able extricate themselves from this downward spiral.

LLKS: Umno members think of themselves only, they want to be rich but are lazy to work harder, yet they ask the rakyat to work harder so that they in return can ‘tipu duit rakyat' (cheat the people's money).

For once, get them out and vote for opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim to be the next PM of Malaysia.

Changeagent: It's okay to ask for direct taxi permits, but the drivers must be prepared to give as well. If Pakatan comes to power, will the drivers commit to improving their own service levels and comply with all customer requests to switch on their meters?

Frankly, the industry's customer service levels in general have been abhorrent, and their reputation as the world's worst cabbies are a real national disgrace.

Clever Voter: Permits for taxis, as in the case of all other types, are in the hands of a few. Get rid of these rent seekers, and you will have greater empowerment and better entrepreneurship and efficiency. It's the only way to reduce dependency, an outdated practice that needs to be removed.

Ksn: This taxi matter has been discussed many times. Just follow free market rules, let anyone wanting a taxi licence to have it, and the market will find its saturation point. The service will improve with competition.

The government only needs to monitor that it is the person who holds the licence who drives the taxi, and investigate complaints of any nature about taxis and drivers overcharging, refusing to pick up passengers, refusing to go to certain areas at certain times, ensure that the vehicles are in good condition, etc.

They can withdraw the licences if complaints are proven to be true. Why should there be any third party holding the licences to be rented out? That is abuse of authority and exploitation.

Anonymous_40f4: To help taxi drivers, they should not only give permits to individual taxi drivers and not crony companies, but also stop foreigners driving Malaysian taxis and stop the Petronas monopoly of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) to avoid long queues and wasted time.

JFA: lf the tyres had been given from the PM's own pocket money on behalf of the taxi drivers, I would give Najib Razak billions of thanks. But it's from our taxpayer's money, which I think is not logical.

Prof: This mindset of asking government handouts and literally increasing dependency of Malays on government assistance in one form or another needs to stop. Promptly. Muslims cannot stand strong and run fast if they depend on crutches.

It is an act of sheer irresponsibility for the current ruling regime to promise a few hundred ringgit here and few thousands there, simply for short-term political gimmicks and popular votes to stay in power.

Wanderer: Umno has to look after the cronies, at the expense of the hard-working rakyat. My good men, you were lost and now found... Remove the chains and set yourself free from the devils we know.


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