Abang Ideris Abang Jemali
KUCHING: Taxi operators and drivers in the state have no other choice but to go digital by providing e-hailing applications or ride on the existing platform to survive the competition.
Advisor to Kuching Division Bumiputera Taxi Association, Abang Ideris Abang Jemali told The Borneo Post that service availability and fare rates play a very important role for the taxi services to remain relevant.
“I am not taking sides with UBER or GRAB but the fact is their services are legal. If we do not develop similar applications and promote our services online, we are finished,” Ideris stressed.
Being the operator of Kuching International Airport (KIA) taxi counter service for 19 years since 1997 after taking over from the earlier group that lasted for a few months in 1996, Ideris knew taxi drivers are facing very serious problem.
“When I first started, my company was only paying RM650 rental per month to Malaysia Airports Berhad (MAB) in 1997. I paid RM4,800 per month from 2003 to 2006. The price was reviewed to RM6,800 per month from 2007 to 2016. I lost the tender in 2017 because the new company was willing to pay RM9,200 (per month) and now the monthly rental is RM10,100 per month for 2018.
“With that kind of money being paid, meaning RM123,200 per year – MAB should be giving the taxi driver an opportunity to promote their service at the airport as GRAB and UBER are displaying their advertisement prominently in many places. What is more important, taxi must develop their e-hailing applications and seek help from MAB to promote them as well,” Idris suggested.
Ideris stressed that going into picket or staging a strike will not be beneficial to taxi drivers because it will only give bigger room to their competitors.
“If they stop, people who never used GRAB and UBER will be forced to try the e-hailing services and they definitely will choose the competitors if the price charged is the only factor,” he said.
Ideris, who was the president of the association from 1996 to 2012, suggested the new committee to meet Minister in Prime Minister Department, Datuk Seri Nancy Shukry.
“Seek the minister advice, request for funding to develop a similar applications and appoint a management company to professionally manage digital taxi service. Give value added products and make full use of the advantages that are only exclusively allowed to taxi drivers,” Ideris proposed.
Knowing it will not be easy for taxi drivers to upgrade their ageing vehicle as their income are seriously affected now, Ideris said the proprietor must take extra initiatives by attending Tour Guide course and become certified guide to earn better income by doing value added services.
Ideris said the last thing for taxi operators and drivers to do now is to increase their fares as the competitors are offering extremely cheap service, easily available and very customer friendly.
“I cannot blame the taxi drivers for the expensive fares because they have to pay much more for the insurance, get their vehicle checked at Puspakom regularly and some have to pay rental to their company. My advice is, go and meet the Minister, sit down together how best to compete with Grab and UBER,” he concluded.