Cab drivers claim that they are still clueless about the Taxi Industry Transformation Programme (TITP) recently announced by the Land Public Transport Commission (Spad), aimed at improving the industry.

They also expressed disappointment that no officials or enforcement personnel from the commission came down to meet with them to give a detailed explanation of the proposed plan and listen to their grouses.

For Meor Amin Shaari (photo), 42, the programme sparked deja vu as he recalls similar initiatives from years before.

However, he said that none came close to improving the national taxi industry.

"This transformation is the same thing that came before, like the one six years ago. Which means that this is the second time. For example, giving RM5,000 to those who opt for permit according to their eligibility and capability.

"How many would qualify? Most of us are oldsters. So the same thing recurs," the 15-year taxi veteran told Malaysiakini.

Meor also expressed disappointment that many taxi drivers were not told about the recent TITP dialogue with Spad, held on Tuesday at the Sime Darby Convention Centre.

Meor appealed to Spad to come down to the ground and hear the grouses of taxi driver before making any decision on the matter.

"No notification was sent to us drivers. We only found out via WhatsApp, and chain messages. Is that official? You hold professional post, but what you did was neither official nor professional.

"Do not ignore us, come down and hear what we have to say. Don't think that what you say, we will follow like cattle. No, we are not cattle, come and face us," he said.

Driver Saad Ramli said he was unaware of the 11 initiatives under TITP which Spad proposed for the national taxi industry.

He said information such as that did not get to drivers like him.

"I don't know, I haven't heard (about the 11 initiatives), I have no knowledge of the matter, as no information filtered through," said 65-year-old Saad (photo) who has been driving a taxi for 10 years.

'No SPAD officials came to explain'

Another taxi driver, Abu Bakar Mat, 62, said that he too had no detailed information about the programme which was already approved by the cabinet.

He, too, claimed that no Spad officials came to see them to explain about the 11 initiatives in the transformation programme.

"We have no detailed information about the transformation and don't know about it. Some enforcers also don't know about the initiatives.

"Spad has failed if its chairperson said that some taxi drivers are acting like thugs. If they are thugs, it is because he as the enforcement agency (chief) did not do his job. Not all drivers are bad," said Abu Bakar, who has been involved in the taxi industry for 25 years.

Meanwhile, another driver Rahim Mansor (photo), 59, said that taxi drivers were not doing well economically as they have to cope with both rising costs of living and increased competition from Uber and Grabcar ride-sharing services.

He hopes that the government will not oppress the taxi drivers who are also part of the rakyat that they must answer to.

"If you ask cabbies, their takings are getting worse and worse. If previously they could get RM2,000, now it might not even reach RM500 or RM1,000. Mostly it is said to be because of Uber and Grabcar.

"The government nowadays does as it pleases, without giving thought to the people it oppresses. This is the worst kind of situation," he told Malaysiakini.

On Tuesday, Spad conducted a briefing session for taxi drivers on the initiative to improve the local taxi industry.

However, after the over two-hour briefing on TITP, taxi associations said that they were still not satisfied nor did they totally understand the 11 initiatives proposed by the government.

Furthermore, many fear that the so-called transformation of the taxi industry may end up actually 'killing' it instead.

The advent of Uber and Grabcar was met with hostility by the local taxi industry, claiming that the new service is destroying their rice bowl.

Consumers, however, argued that they preferred the lower prices and better service that Uber and Grabcar have so far demonstrated.

The government was caught between the two as it tries to address growing complaints over taxi services in the country, with the need to pander to popular vote banks.

Authorities recently have decided to officially sanction ridesharing services with strict guidelines and proposed revamp of the taxi industry, to give it a fighting chance against the more popular Uber and Grabcar.