Pakatan Rakyat's plan to issue taxi permits directly to individual taxi drivers rather than middlemen is not feasible, said Land Public Transport Commission (Spad) chairperson Syed Hamid Albar.
He also accused the opposition of trying the copy the government's initiatives to woo votes, without having a clear idea of how to execute it.
In Pakatan Rakyat's manifesto, the coalition has promised to abolish the present system of issuing taxi permits to select companies, which then lease the taxis to the drivers.
Instead, the permits would be issued directly to individual taxi drivers to encourage more "taxi entrepreneurs".
"They want to get rid of the companies, but how are they going to do it? Under our economic system, you cannot nationalise property.
"The companies would have a right to take (legal) action against them if they simply wipe them out," he said at a press conference today while holding up a copy of the manifesto.
Syed Hamid also claimed that issuing taxi licenses directly without dealing with the intermediary companies first would create an oversupply of taxi drivers in the market.
He was speaking after an event in Putrajaya today where Prime Minister Najib Razak launched the handing over of individuals permits to 1,000 taxi drivers.
He also accused the opposition of trying the copy the government's initiatives to woo votes, without having a clear idea of how to execute it.
In Pakatan Rakyat's manifesto, the coalition has promised to abolish the present system of issuing taxi permits to select companies, which then lease the taxis to the drivers.Instead, the permits would be issued directly to individual taxi drivers to encourage more "taxi entrepreneurs".
"They want to get rid of the companies, but how are they going to do it? Under our economic system, you cannot nationalise property.
"The companies would have a right to take (legal) action against them if they simply wipe them out," he said at a press conference today while holding up a copy of the manifesto.
Syed Hamid also claimed that issuing taxi licenses directly without dealing with the intermediary companies first would create an oversupply of taxi drivers in the market.
He was speaking after an event in Putrajaya today where Prime Minister Najib Razak launched the handing over of individuals permits to 1,000 taxi drivers.
Mandatory purchase
Najib's individual licence handout today however comes withpreconditions such as a mandatory purchase of a Proton Exora.
Last October a pressure group comprising taxi drivers handed amemorandum to the government (above) demanding direct licences without any preconditions.
To avoid causing a supply glut themselves, Syed Hamid (left) said taxi companies have voluntarily surrendered 1,000 taxi licences to Spad as part of their corporate social responsibility programmes.
These are then redistributed among eligible taxi drivers starting with the 200 issued during today's event. Hence, there is no increase in the total number of taxis on the road.
He added that those who have received the individual taxi licence are existing drivers of leased taxis, who are looking to convert to taxi ‘owner-drivers'.
Under the scheme, they need to be taxi drivers for five years with any record of criminal or traffic offences before being eligible.
Syed Hamid added that the government would consider issuing more licences in the future based on "economic studies", with the intention of ensuring that the supply would be met with sufficient demand.
"(Unlike the opposition), we operate within the existing system but improve it. We improve it so that the industry does not suffer and the individuals have the ability to earn better income," he said.
To avoid causing a supply glut themselves, Syed Hamid (left) said taxi companies have voluntarily surrendered 1,000 taxi licences to Spad as part of their corporate social responsibility programmes.These are then redistributed among eligible taxi drivers starting with the 200 issued during today's event. Hence, there is no increase in the total number of taxis on the road.
He added that those who have received the individual taxi licence are existing drivers of leased taxis, who are looking to convert to taxi ‘owner-drivers'.
Under the scheme, they need to be taxi drivers for five years with any record of criminal or traffic offences before being eligible.
Syed Hamid added that the government would consider issuing more licences in the future based on "economic studies", with the intention of ensuring that the supply would be met with sufficient demand.
"(Unlike the opposition), we operate within the existing system but improve it. We improve it so that the industry does not suffer and the individuals have the ability to earn better income," he said.
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