PUTRAJAYA: Some 1,000 recipients of individual taxi permits will
receive a RM5,000 grant to buy the Proton Exora MPV, Prime Minister
Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said today.
He said all taxi drivers who received the individual permits were obliged to buy that vehicle for use as the taxi.
"This is another commitment of the government to ensure that taxi
drivers can use a suitable vehicle for the convenience and comfort of
passengers," he said at the distribution of individual taxi permits at
the Putrajaya International Convention Centre (PICC), here.
At the event, the prime minister handed over individual taxi permits to
200 recipients. The rest of the permits would be given away by the Land
Public Transport Commission (SPAD).
Also present at the event were Information, Communications and Culture
Minister Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim, who is the patron of the Pertubuhan
Teksi Malaysia, and SPAD chairman Tan Sri Syed Hamid Albar.
Najib said the 1MDB People's Foundation would provide the grant, and
the RM64,000 cost of the vehicle would be reduced to RM59,000.
He also said that these taxi drivers would be allowed to transport
people to and from the KL International Airport (KLIA) 1 and KLIA 2 as
well.
The prime minister said another promise had been fulfilled today
because the welfare of the taxi drivers had to be taken into
consideration for them to support their families and look forward to a
better future.
"Although it cannot be denied that taxi companies had provided jobs for
taxi drivers, there are a few which exploit taxi drivers and subject
them to what can be likened to a modern-day system of slavery," he said.
As such, he said, this government effort could ensure the welfare of
taxi drivers and launch a new system for implementation when the time
came because it was not impossible to attain a world-class taxi service.
Najib said the taxi drivers who received the permits today would have
to return the favour by being courteous and trustworthy and "not forget
the government's deed when the time comes".
The prime minister said the government had given out much aid, and
cited as examples the 1Malaysia People's Taxi (TR1MA) programme and the
1Malaysia People's Aid (BR1M) 1.0 and BR1M 2.0.
"This is different from the opposition's Bersih 1.0, Bersih 2.0 and
Bersih 3.0 (street demonstrations).
We have BR1M 1.0, BR1M 2.0 and
TR1MA. Soon, SPAD will launch TR1MA 2.0," he said.
TRIMA will benefit 76,000 taxi drivers throughout the country.
Najib said this was a government which had the welfare of the people at
heart, which did not trouble the country, which did not violate the
laws, which did not destroy the country but built a better nation,
unlike the opposition. -- Bernama
(Source: http://www.nst.com.my)
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