AFP - Thursday, September
18
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.
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."