MIRI: Majulah Miri, a community service centre, has secured approval from the Road Transport Department (JPJ), Commercial Vehicle Licensing Board (CVLB) and Computerised Vehicle Inspection Centre (Puspakom) on seating capacity of six passengers for executive taxi operators in the state.
Earlier, the JPJ Automotive Engineering Section in Putrajaya had issued a directive to executive taxi operators not to carry more than six passengers, including the driver.
The directive is still being enforced in Peninsular Malaysia, especially on operators with vehicles that use liquefied petroleum gas (LPG).
On this, the legal advisor to the service centre, Councillor Keith Chin, agreed with the local executive operators here that such a requirement was not applicable as their vehicles did not use LPG.
“On Feb 4 this year, a group of 10 executive taxis operators in Miri forwarded their problems on seating capacity to the service centre.
“Then the founder of the centre Datuk Hii King Hing asked me to assist them with a letter to the relevant authority for leniency on the seating capacity matter,” he told media in a press conference yesterday.
According to him, Majulah Miri subsequently received a positive reply on the request to increase seating capacity from JPJ Kuching on March 13.
On April 1, he said the committee of Miri Executive Association together with its 10 members had paid a courtesy call on Hii over the seating capacity application for the 10, which was finally approved.
“It was a relief that their applications have finally been approved. Being a volunteer with Majulah Miri, this service centre is very committed to assist and highlight the welfare interest faced by the people here.”