MIRI: Piasau assemblyman Alan Ling gives the thumbs down to the lack of proper taxi stand at Pujut Corner Bus Terminal, saying it fails to match Miri as a Resort City and the northern gateway to Sarawak.
Ling stands alone at the deserted and derelict Pujut Corner Bus Terminal which also houses the taxi stand.
“Miri needs a proper taxi stand and not (something) like the existing one which is crudely built with wood under a tree,” he said.
He said the city must improve its image as a resort city equipped with proper facilities to serve locals and visitors alike, and the taxi services must be upgraded.
Ling, who is also the state DAP secretary, suggested that Miri City Council (MCC) held dialogue sessions with taxi operators as part of city planning on proper taxi stands at various locations here for them to rest and wait for passengers.
He said properly built and equipped facilities for the taxi operators would also give tourists a good impression, noting that the city expansion had resulted in taxi operators shifting from their main station at High Street to places like hotels and shopping complexes in making their services more visible and convenient.
The assemblyman said while the city council had provided specific taxi parking bays, proper facilities like taxi stands had been neglected.
He said the Pujut Corner taxi stand, an eyesore of late, should be upgraded with fans, rest rooms and sufficient sitting places for waiting passengers .
“The city council must look into this matter seriously as its contributions as a stakeholder to the local tourism industry,” he said.