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Saturday, August 22, 2015

GST, NGV fuel hike crippling livelihood, say taxi drivers

Taxi drivers in Klang this morning protested GST and a scheduled NGV fuel hike. – The Malaysian Insider pic by Raymund Wong, August 22, 2015.Taxi drivers in Klang this morning protested GST and a scheduled NGV fuel hike. – The Malaysian Insider pic by Raymund Wong, August 22, 2015.
Taxi drivers from Klang and Kuala Lumpur have held a protest over the combined burden of the Goods and Services Tax (GST), and an NGV fuel price increase, the latter slated to take effect from September.
More than 100 drivers from nine taxi associations, representing a further 800 taxi drivers in Klang and Kuala Lumpur, gathered at Pandamaran Sports Complex, Klang.
MP for Klang Charles Santiago said that multiple attempts to contact the Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD) over the matter had proven futile.
“We have come up with a memorandum opposing the expected hike of the NGV fuel, due in the third week of September, as well as the burden of GST,” he said.
“They are charged GST for the parts and labour needed to service their cars. It doesn’t help that the parts are often imported and the ringgit is weak.
“If they (the government) go ahead with increasing NGV from RM0.68 a litre to RM1.05, I don’t know how these taxi drivers will survive. Many have families to support,” he said.
Santiago also said that competition from private companies like Uber and Grabcar has also made it impossible for taxi drivers to compete.
“We will contact SPAD on Monday to deliver the memorandum, if we do not get a response, we will go to its office the following week and deliver it in person,” he said.
Persatuan Pemilik Dan Pemandu Teksi India (Federal Territories and Selangor) secretary S. Balakrishnan said that discounts by private companies were too low to compete with.
“When Uber has a promotion from Bangsar to Damansara a fare is only RM4, because the company will absorb the cost. For metered taxis, it is at least RM9. How are we to compete?” he said.
Pertubuhan Kebajikan Pemandu Teksi dan Kereta Sewa Taman Sentosa Klang chairman V. Jambulingam said that profit for taxi drivers had dropped dramatically since GST came in.
“We are charged for everything now and we can’t increase our fares. We used to make RM100 or RM120 a day, but now we make an average of RM50,” he said, adding that he hoped SPAD would take the matter seriously.
Klang Consumer Association president Devdass Anjan said the government needed to re-evaluate the matter for taxi drivers.
“Their rice bowl is threatened. GST is everywhere and it is a major burden for taxi drivers.
“All these private companies like Uber and GrabCar are killing the taxi drivers,” he said
- TMI

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