No proper licensing, cancel Uber services - Taxi Association

The Uber taxi-like service should be cancelled as it does not have the proper licensing to operate in Malaysia, according to Federal Territory and Selangor Taxi Operators Association.

Its president Datuk Aslah Abdullah in providing his view on the proposed crackdown by the Road Transport Department (JPJ) on Uber added that passengers are not protected by insurance should any untoward incident happen to them.

“It is better to cancel the Uber service. They do not have any license. It is hard if anything were to happen. We do not know about the passengers’ liabilities,” said Aslah when contacted by Astro AWANI.

He added that Uber is a mobile application (App) offering a service, using private cars that may not have the required permit and drivers without the Public Service Vehicle (PSV) license.

“There are other ways like the use of the MyTeksi App. It uses normal taxis with the right permit,” he said.

Kepong Taxi Drivers Association president Gor Bachan Singh had a different opinion altogether.

“It’s hard to stop their services. Even if we succeeded, they will still try to operate in different ways.

“However, I want to know who is behind this service? How could it operate in the first place,” he said.

Gor Bachan also said his association have met with the Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD) to propose a new license grade for public hire vehicle.

“It’s still a proposal but it’s one of the best ways to handle this issue,” he added.

JPJ, SPAD and the police will conduct a nationwide crackdown on the Uber service on October 1.

Individuals and companies found operating this taxi-like service could be fined not exceeding RM10,000, imprisonment up to one year or both, if found guilty.

JPJ director-general Datuk Seri Ismail Ahmad said the offences came under Section 16 of the Land Public Transportation Act and Section 23 of the Road Transport Act.

“Under the Road Transport Act and Land Public Transportation Act, their vehicles can be impounded and they can be fined between RM1,000 and RM10,000 or jailed up to two years,” he said.

Uber is a ride sharing service which connects passengers with drivers of vehicles for hire through its App.

The business kicked off as a start-up in San Francisco in 2009. In Kuala Lumpur, the Uber’s service was made available last October.