KUALA LUMPUR (Sept 8): Big Blue Taxi Facilities Sdn Bhd has slammed the Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD) for approving the Quick Ride scheme.
 
The scheme, introduced by Quick Ride Sdn Bhd, involves renting out Proton cars to those wishing to be Uber drivers.
 
"It is as if SPAD, Proton and the parties involved are trying to kill the current taxi firms and replace them with these ride-hailing companies," Big Blue Taxi founder Datuk Shamsubahrin Ismail told reporters today.
 
Shamsubahrin questioned QuickRide's business model, describing it as "not being at a level playing field at all."
 
"You pay RM45 a day to lease a Proton Saga and you only use that car for driving Uber. Now, tell me how is that model different from driving a conventional taxi model," he added.
 
Shamsubahrin explained the existing leasing system for taxi drivers is offered at a lower price, costing between RM30 and RM40 a day.
 
"Unlike ride-sharing cars, taxi cars are equipped with a permit before undergoing stringent checks," he said.
 
Shamsubahrin took a swipe at SPAD's nod for QuickRide, deeming the public transport regulator as making a u-turn on its proposal to scrap the taxi leasing system.
 
In the Taxi Industry Transformation Plan, which was approved by the Cabinet in 2016, SPAD had suggested the government does away with the more-than-a-decade old taxi leasing scheme, while providing  RM5,000 grants for drivers to exit the scheme.
 
"The government has allocated some RM60 million for this scheme but until today, I have not heard of that money being disbursed. What happened to that?" Shamsubahrin questioned.
 
The authorities, he added, should look at ways to improve and help livelihoods of existing taxi drivers within the country. 
 
"There is always a space for taxi drivers to operate. These drivers have families and this job they do is what puts the food on their table," Shamsubahrin said.
 
"What SPAD is doing is akin to throwing sand into their rice bowls.
 
"We, taxi drivers, are at the losing end. There is no more free competition, when the authority supports a foreign company over long-serving local companies like us," he added.
 
Last week, Koperasi Pelaburan Amanah Bhd inked a memorandum of understanding with Proton Holdings Bhd and Uber Malaysia to offer the Quick Ride scheme.