JPJ clamping down on illegal taxis at airports in Selangor

SEPANG: The Road Transport Department (JPJ) has arrested 19 suspects in its latest sweep on illegal taxi operators at airports in Selangor.

JPJ director-general Datuk Zailani Hashim said their investigations revealed that these operators charge between RM80 and RM150 for a ride from Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) to the Kuala Lumpur city centre.

"In comparison, legal taxis and limousine services charge between RM65 and RM80 per trip.

"We conducted an operation at KLIA and KLIA2 from Dec 4 to 12.

"It involved 14 personnel, including several who went undercover and were approached by illegal taxi operators," he told reporters at KLIA on Tuesday (Dec 13).

He said of the 19 arrested, 15 used personal vehicles while four others used public service vehicles.

"We seized 19 vehicles including seven MPVs comprising three taxis and four privately-owned vehicles.

"Our records show that three of them are repeat offenders," he said, adding that since 2015, there had been a total of 630 cases with 29 individuals sentenced to prison.

He said JPJ worked together with Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd to create a short video to raise awareness about illegal taxi operators.

"The video was made in Bahasa Malaysia and English and is meant to educate those who land at these airports to refrain from using illegal taxis.

"We will also deploy undercover officers from time to time and use CCTV footage at airports.

"We will use Section 205(1) of the Land Public Transport Act which carries a maximum RM50,000 fine, five years' jail, or both, upon conviction," he said, adding that accomplices of illegal taxi operators could face action under Section 243(1) of the same Act.