‘JUDGE BN BASED ON FACTS, NOT EMOTIONS’

Many initiatives carried out to empower taxi industry, says Najib

TAXI drivers should evaluate with facts, and not emotions, the numerous initiatives undertaken by the Barisan Nasional (BN) government to help them, says Datuk Seri Najib Razak.

The prime minister said the government had made empowering the transportation industry, including the taxi industry, its highest priority as it understood the importance both played in the nation’s development.

He said in 2012, numerous initiatives were carried out, such as the RM520 tyre subsidy (TR1MA) programme for taxi drivers, RM1 million allocation for personal insurance and the taxi trade-in scheme worth RM3,000 for vehicles under 10 years and RM1,000 for vehicles above 10 years.

“The government provided road tax exemption to taxi drivers, where they need to pay a service charge of only RM2. There was a RM200 million allocation via Bank Simpanan Nasional to allow taxi drivers to obtain loans to buy cars.

“The TR1Ma 2.0 tyre subsidy programme was continued in 2013 with a RM35 million allocation, as well as the Teks1m (Teksi 1Malaysia) scheme, with the issuance of 1,000 licences to individuals, who did not have to pay a deposit to buy a Proton Exora.

“In 2015, the government reviewed taxi fares with a 23 per cent increase, and launched the Taxi Industry Transformation Programme (TITP) in 2016 to resolve structural issues within the industry,” he wrote in his blog, www.najibrazak.com.

Najib said through TITP, the government established that the lease system was unfair and akin to “modern day slavery” and was the cause of many problems.

“As a result of the TITP, I announced in the 2017 Budget a RM5,000 cash grant to purchase new vehicles for those who have completed the lease period.

“The government understands that we need to stay abreast of technological development, thus in the 2018 Budget, I announced a RM5,000 grant to buy new vehicles for drivers who wish to convert to the e-hailing service, on top of applying the same terms to taxi and e-hailing services, to ensure a healthy competition.”

The prime minister announced on Friday at the Malaysia Agro Exposition Park in Serdang, that more than 10,000 taxi drivers would receive the 1Malaysia Taxi Assistance Card (KBT1M) worth RM800 to fill up petrol or NGV at Petronas stations.

“InsyaAllah (God willing), this initiative will benefit 67,000 taxi drivers nationwide. Apart from that, the government will also enable automatic BR1M (1Malaysia People’s Aid) registration for taxi drivers who are registered under the Companies Commission of Malaysia (SSM).”

Najib said he was aware that, in spite of the efforts made through the Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD), there were dissenting voices, as well as some who continued to influence taxi drivers into believing that their problems were being ignored.

“Even more so now that we are in election season, these quarters are saying that KBT1M is a tactic to fish for votes; some say that these are sweets, ‘dedak’ and others, as if the government only surfaces during the election period to help.

“These people, with a narrow political motive and full of hatred, only want to trivialise the government’s efforts.”

Najib stressed that initiatives to empower the taxi industry were carried out almost every year and not just during the election period. These initiatives, he said, could be examined in his blog.

“Judge these efforts based on facts and figures, which are readily available, and not on emotions, which are influenced by irresponsible people who have agendas and are peddling false dreams.”