Application9999 Clutched September 18, 2008 Share September 18, 2008 Bolehland TASI KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 18, 2008 (AFP) - The ads promoting "Malaysia: Truly Asia" aim to welcome visitors with a warm smile to a prosperous and modern nation, so the taxi fleet branded "the worst in the world" can come as a bit of a shock. ADVERTISEMENT Even the locals are not spared the shabby service of unkempt and hostile drivers behind the wheels of decrepit vehicles who refuse to use the meter, overcharge and pick-and-choose which destinations they will travel to. At the popular KLCC mall under Kuala Lumpur's iconic Petronas Twin Towers is a typical scene, as a gang of cabbies negotiate with a young Norwegian couple just metres from a signboard warning against "taxi touts". "Flat rate, flat rate, no metre," one driver insists as the tourists try to find a cab to take them to their hotel, less than two kilometres (1.2 miles) away. Anxious to escape the baking heat, they agree to pay 25 ringgit (7.22 dollars) for a trip that would have cost less than three ringgit on the meter. "Is it expensive? We don't know, we thought it is normal here," said the woman as they piled in with their shopping bags. More frequent visitors, however, are vocal in their criticism and say that aggressive and unprofessional drivers are tarnishing the nation's image as a squeaky clean and hospitable destination. "I first visited Malaysia in 2006 and I was impressed by everything I saw except for the worst taxi service I have endured," said Kabir Dali, an Indian tourist waiting in vain for a metered taxi at another mall. "I paid a whopping 260 ringgit (74 dollars) from the Kuala Lumpur International Airport to town and was later told that was twice the proper amount." Complaints about taxis are common in many countries, but in Malaysia it has escalated to an outpouring of frustration, on blog sites and in letters to newspapers. In a survey by the local magazine The Expat, some 200 foreigners from 30 countries rated Malaysia the worst among 23 countries in terms of taxi quality, courtesy, availability and expertise. The respondents lashed the fleet as "a source of national shame" and "a serious threat to tourists -- rude bullies and extortionists". Salvation is in sight though, as a number of smaller, up-scale operators enter the market to provide a more expensive but quality taxi service for frustrated visitors and locals. The uniformed drivers, behind the wheels of smart new multi-purpose vehicles and sedans, switch on the meter as a matter of course and do not refuse destinations -- surprising and delighting commuters in the capital. Abdul Razak, operations manager for Dubai-based Citicab which launched here in January, said that even in poorer nations such as Thailand and Indonesia, taxis are smarter and the drivers far more courteous. "I would say it is the worst in this region, undoubtedly. I have travelled to all countries in this region and our company operates taxis in many parts of the world. The situation here is the worst I have seen," he told AFP. "The vehicles are in shabby condition, the driver will take you if he likes your face -- that is, if he agrees with where you want to go for the price he insists on." The government has called on taxi firms to lift their standards, but various campaigns have achieved little, and many blame the lack of enforcement on rampant corruption in the police and bureaucracy. "It is difficult for the roads and traffic department to take stern action," said a security officer at one city mall as he watched the touts swoop. "Taxi operators and the company which hold the licences are all linked to some politician or another," he said. "Drivers here are ruthless because they are unchecked by authorities who are almost non-existent." John Koldowski, from the Pacific Asia Travel Association, said that "less than desirable" taxi drivers have an outsize impact on a nation's image. "The first contact a tourist gets with locals is often during airport transits to hotels and it creates a very, very strong first impression, either be good or bad," he said. "Authorities certainly need to do their jobs and act upon any complaints strongly, quickly and visibly." ↡ Advertisement Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Relagsingh 4th Gear September 18, 2008 Share September 18, 2008 "Authorities certainly need to do their jobs and act upon any complaints strongly, quickly and visibly." yeah right... wait long long... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sosaria Turbocharged September 18, 2008 Share September 18, 2008 Top in the world... for the wrong reason! But they mostly only 'chop' expats and tourists; locals are wise to their tricks... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davidklt 6th Gear September 19, 2008 Share September 19, 2008 Last week, there was a survey that rated their hawker stalls as the worst in terms of cleanliness in Asia? Another top. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kingcopa 1st Gear September 19, 2008 Share September 19, 2008 They got no time to clean up their act lah. Their hands are tied with all the wayang show in parliment Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Watwheels Supersonic September 19, 2008 Share September 19, 2008 Dun u think all these recent spikes on the country are propaganda to shame the M'sia govt? Somebody is behind it all, no prizes for guessing who is it. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin 4th Gear September 19, 2008 Share September 19, 2008 always ask for meter ↡ Advertisement Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In NowRelated Discussions
Related Discussions
World’s first trillionaire may emerge in 10 years, disparity report finds
World’s first trillionaire may emerge in 10 years, disparity report finds
FIFA World Cup 2026
FIFA World Cup 2026
2 April - World Autism Awareness Day
2 April - World Autism Awareness Day
World lion dance championship 2014
World lion dance championship 2014
Ch 8 Drama: Your World In Mine 你的世界我们懂
Ch 8 Drama: Your World In Mine 你的世界我们懂
Round the world trip
Round the world trip
Poverty level in Singapore and the world, how $$$ much do you need?
Poverty level in Singapore and the world, how $$$ much do you need?
MY/SG Boleh: 95% of cloned cars here are brought in from Singapore
MY/SG Boleh: 95% of cloned cars here are brought in from Singapore