Police: Don't let cabbies use your taxis in demonstration

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Taxi permit owners are urged to bar their drivers from using their taxis for the planned protest against the Land Public Transport Commission (Spad) on Wednesday.

Dang Wangi district police chief Zainol Abu Samah said this is because the demonstration is "against the law".

"We will not hesitate to use existing laws (against taxi permit holders) if the taxis are used in the demonstration," he said in a statement.

He also urged all taxi drivers to stay away from the demonstration or face action under the Peaceful Assembly Act.

Taxi drivers plan to hold a demonstration at multiple venues, including Karangkraf, Padang Merbok, Masjid Negara and Dataran Merdeka.

Zainol said police have met organisers twice on the matter but cannot allow the demonstration.

This is because the organisers did not get permission from the owners of the venues they chose, as per Section 11 of the Act.

Taxi drivers are up in arms over lack of regulation against ride-sharing applications like Uber and Grabcar.

Drivers who sign up with Uber and Grabcar can earn more than double of what taxi drivers make, due to low overheads.


Malaysiakini 's special report on the issue:

PART 1: The taxi-Uber war: A tale of two drivers

PART 2: Sky-high fees doom cabbies to being Uber-losers

PART 3: Rival group lodges report against rally by taxi drivers

PART 4: Change - is the taxi industry ready for Uberfication



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