A coalition of taxi drivers has demanded a meeting with Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng within 24 hours to have a discussion in relation to Tony Pua's revelation that the government was in talks with Grab for last-mile connectivity from train stations.

Taxi operator Big Blue Taxi Facilities Sdn Bhd founder Shamsubahrin Ismail, who led a 250-strong crowd in a protest held in front of the Ministry of Finance (MoF) building in Putrajaya today, met the ministry's representative, Suhaili Ahmad, who is the secretary of the corporate strategy communication division.

Shamsubahrin was heard asking for Suhaili's email address in order to send him an invitation letter to a meeting. He then sent the invitation via email using his handphone, at 10.15am in front of Suhaili.

"I have written a special letter to the minister so that a meeting can be held within 24 hours over the issue triggered by (Lim's special officer) Tony Pua. The issue is, why Grab?

"What will happen to other drivers who, all this while, have been waiting for passengers at LRT? This is unfair. Rule of law is out," Shamsubahrin (on right in photo below) told Suhaili.

He added that the taxi drivers are not against the government but they are fighting for their rights.

Speaking to reporters later, Shamsubahrin said he wants to sit down with the minister and have a professional discussion on issues pertaining to taxi drivers.

If they failed to have a meeting with Lim within 24 hours, he said, the taxi drivers would continue to protest against the ministry until something was done on their complaint.

Shamsubahrin also raised a question on why Lim's political secretary, Pua, is more powerful than Lim.

"This issue came from his (Lim's) political secretary. I don't know why his political secretary is more powerful than him. I thought only the minister has the right (to issue statements)," he said.

Malaysian Taxi Drivers' Transformation Association president Kamaruddin Mohd Hussain urged Transport Minister Anthony Loke to have a clear direction for the taxi service sector.

"We want Loke to present his plan to us because we are the industry players. We want to know what his plan for the taxi industry is," Kamaruddin said.

Earlier, the group of taxi drivers, some are believed to have come from Penang, Malacca and Negeri Sembilan, converged at a car park near the MoF building from 8.30am.

An hour later, they marched about 200 metres towards the MoF building while chanting "rule of law" and "lawan tetap lawan".

Some 30 police officers and men monitored the protest. No untoward incident occurred and the group dispersed about 10.50am.