SINGAPORE: Where most taxi drivers would compound the
offence and readily pay a fine, a limousine cabbie accused of
over-charging his customer is instead claiming trial to his charges
in the Subordinate Courts.
Mr Lee Ngiap Han, 54, is charged by the Land Transport
Authority (LTA) with obtaining a S$20 fare from a passenger last
September, which would have otherwise cost S$9.40.
But Mr Lee, a taxi driver for more than 10 years, is contesting the
charge as he claimed to have entered into an agreement with the
pick-up location on the price.
MediaCorp understands that he may not be alone, as a number of
drivers have also entered into an agreement with the hotel in
Marine Parade.
Such private agreements are not unheard of in the industry, but the
Courts will now have to rule on whether such agreements are in
contravention of the Road Traffic Rules, and an offence under the
Road Traffic Act.
Mr Lee, who drives a Comfort Mercedes, is said to have charged
S$11.60 more during the trip from Marine Parade to Changi
Airport.
Besides the over-charging charge, Mr Lee also faces a charge of
failing to set the meter in motion during the same trip on
September 5.
Mr Lee, defence lawyer Tan Hee Joek and the LTA attended a
pre-trial conference on Thursday.
The trial is scheduled to be heard next Friday. If convicted, Mr
Lee could be jailed up to three months or fined S$1,000.
If convicted on both charges, he could also risk losing his
vocational licence.