Passengers must get approval before crossing districts and state borders, cabbies, e-hailing drivers told

By THE STAR | 21 January 2021


PETALING JAYA: All taxis, rented cars, and e-hailing services must ensure that their passengers have the necessary approval before crossing districts or state borders, says Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong.

The Transport Minister said the government had neither restricted nor issued any directive to stop public transport services or prohibited them from travelling inter-district or interstate during the movement control order.

He, however, stressed that only passengers with the necessary approval are allowed to cross districts or state borders.

He said during the MCO, taxis, rented cars, and e-hailing services are allowed to fully operate as they fall under the category of essential services and they are permitted to cross districts and state borders under the commercial vehicles category.

"Taxi, car-rental, and e-hailing drivers must carry a copy of the proper documents, be it in hardcopy or softcopy, as proof for drivers to use after dropping off their passengers to a destination across districts or state borders," he said today.

Wee's statement was issued on the same day the government decided to extend the movement control order enforced in Penang, Selangor, Johor, Sabah, Melaka, Kelantan, Putrajaya, Kuala Lumpur and Labuan, until Feb 4. It was scheduled to end on Jan 26 but was extended because of a spike in Covid-19 cases in recent days.

 

Wee said the ministry had received several complaints from taxi drivers related to the scope of operation for taxis, rented cars, and e-hailing services for inter-district or interstate travel during the MCO.

He said there were claims that drivers involved have been detained and questioned by enforcement officers at roadblocks when making their way home after carrying passengers across districts or state borders.

 

 

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