‘Fat cats’ make money while cab drivers, public suffer
Art Harun censures the government saying if there are better alternatives for the consumers, why do we declare them illegal.
(Free Malaysia Today) – Lawyer cum human rights activist Azhar Harun has taken to Facebook to ask the government hard-hitting questions about the recent directive by the Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD) to declare Uber and GrabCar services illegal.
Better known as Art Harun, he lambasted the government for the directive saying, “If there are better alternatives for the consumers, why do we declare them illegal?”
“A good government in my opinion would work hard to provide the consumers with as much good alternatives as possible when it comes to public utility such as public transport,” he wrote in a lengthy Facebook post today, adding that what the government was doing instead was preventing good and viable alternatives.
Art also brought up the issue of huge corporations being awarded taxi permits instead of the taxi drivers themselves and related how most taxi drivers did not even own their own taxis.
“All taxis are owned by companies who then rent them out or on-sell by monthly payment at exorbitant prices.
“Why must taxi permits be given en-bloc to corporations who than squeeze taxi drivers bloodless? Why can’t taxi permits be given to individuals who really need them and who really earn their living by driving taxis?”
