SHAH ALAM, 11 NOV: The Metered Taxi Drivers Action Group (BBPTB) expressed the regret to the Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD) which has been accused of washing their hands off the issue of curbing the ‘Arab touts’ that are becoming common in the capital.
Chairman, Amran Jan in a press statement said, BBPTB supports the Association of Bestari Taxi Driver’s action in fight against the increasing problem of ‘Arab touts’ that are stealing the livelihood of taxi drivers here.
But what is most regrettable, he said, that the association had acted alone, only assisted by the police, without any follow-up action from the SPAD.
“The SPAD should take more responsibility regarding this case instead of just taking the report lightly without any follow-up action. Such stance clearly shows that the chairman (Tan Sri Syed Hamid Albar) is really not interested in addressing the problem or should we say the crisis that has troubled the taxi drivers for decades.”
“It also indirectly confirming the BBPTB insistence for Syed Hamid Albar to resign as Chairman of the SPAD, well founded,” he said.
He added that now the primary focus of the SPAD is being directed more towards the Mass Rail Transit (MRT) mega projects.
He added that the SPAD has been unable to solve existing problems in the taxi service industry in this country.
“This is in addition to the dilemma faced by lorry drivers who have already started to go on strike, like in Malacca recently. This is a fact that the SPAD has to face. It’s sad to say that perhaps Syed Hamid Albar has chosen the wrong ‘retirement plan’, “he insisted.