Renew licences? We can’t even feed our families, cabbies tell JPJ

 

The latest MCO has made it very difficult for taxi drivers to even put food on the table for their families.

PETALING JAYA: Taxi drivers are pleading with the Road Transport Department (JPJ) to defer the ruling that they renew their road tax and drivers licences by Sept 30.

Gabungan Teksi SeMalaysia president Kamarudin Mohd Hussain said the movement control order (MCO) last year had affected various sectors of the economy, including transport.

“The implementation of MCO 3.0 has made it difficult to even buy food for our families, let alone renew licences and road tax as instructed by JPJ,” he said in a statement.

He added that many taxi drivers were worried that a stricter MCO would be imposed due to the increasing number of daily Covid-19 cases.

Kamarudin said his association was of the opinion that now was not a suitable time to instruct those in the transport sector to renew their road tax or licence, adding that JPJ must take note of the country’s current situation and how the people were struggling to get by.

“We recommend that the renewal of driving licences and road tax be deferred until the end of the Covid-19 pandemic or Dec 31, but depending on the implementation of the MCO and national recovery plan.”

He said a letter of appeal has been sent to JPJ director-general Zailani Haji Hashim and transport minister Wee Ka Song.

He also said JPJ must look into the efficiency of its counters as the taxi association had received complaints of long lines just to get an appointment. - FMT