What block on Uber?

> Hotels deny Big Blue Taxi has exclusive rights at their premises

PETALING JAYA: Hotels would be foolish to allow only one taxi company to pick up or drop off passengers at their premises.

Such arrangements would be detrimental to business, said a hotel industry source.

Such exclusivity would also mean guests using taxis from other companies would be dropped off on the main road and made to walk to the hotel.

This was in response to claims by Big Blue Taxi Facilities Sdn Bhd founder Datuk Shamsubahrin Ismail, who claimed the company had exclusive tie-ups with various hotels and shopping malls.

Shamsubahrin was quoted by theSun last week as saying that e-hailing service providers such as Uber and GrabCar are not allowed to enter some hotels and malls.

He claimed Zalnas Limousine Sdn Bhd, a member of the Naza Group, had an arrangement with such hotels and these rights were subcontracted to his company.

Shamsulbahrin produced a letter from Zalnas signed by its vice-president Suradi Haji Sulaiman, stating that taxis from Big Blue and five other companies could pick up passengers from the hotels.

However, he could not produce any agreements or contracts.

A spokesman for Ritz Carlton, one of the hotels quoted by Shamsulbahrin, rubbished the claim that Big Blue has an agreement that entitled its taxis exclusive rights at the hotel.

General manager of Sunway Putra Hotel Christopher Bong said the hotel has no restrictions on their guests’ choice of transportation.

“We have no problems with our guests using Uber or Grab.”

Sunway Putra Mall general manager Phang Saul Lian confirmed the mall has no affiliation with Big Blue Taxi.