TAXI DRIVERS AS TOUR GUIDES CONTROVERSY

The Sabah Tourist Association has joined in the controversy. Its Chairman, Tonny Chew has expressed concern over the recent call for taxi and hired car associations to offer attractive packages and to double up as tour guides made by Federal Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen. The call was also objected to by the Sabah Tourist Association Guide (SGTA) and Malaysia Association of Tours and Travel Agent, Sabah (Matta). “It’s understandable that the move may be beneficial for taxi drivers and can boost their business in the transportation services with added advantages of selling travel packages and being guides for each client that they chauffeur. “Alas, in doing so, it renders the services of existing licensed tour operators and licensed car rental companies null,” he said. “It may become a big disadvantage and comes as significantly unfair to guides who have invested time and money to have their skills recognised and certified, during the learning process. “It is also a disadvantage for travel companies that have invested a lot to build their fleet of licensed guides,” he said. Chew said it might spark a beginning of another controversy in the tourism industry, particularly in Sabah. “To have such programmes to be implemented here in Sabah would be to cripple our own feet. “It would also be impractical for taxi tourism service due to the limitations of routes being set by the Commercial Vehicle Licensing Board, also known as Lembaga Pelesenan Kenderaan Perdagangan (LPKP), as each taxi licence is different and would clash with the tour packages they offer,” he said, adding for example, airport taxi limousine can only transfer guests from the airport. “Whereas a regular taxi that operates within the city can only run in the city. “Hence, causing inconvenience to potential customers as they have to change cabs when travelling to different destinations and for taxi drivers to be allowed to do so would indirectly encourage them to operate beyond their approved route as stated in their licence,” he said. Chew strongly agreed with the comments made by Minister Datuk Masidi Manjun and both STGA and Matta chairman, to have the Tourism Minister think thoroughly about the project before implementing it to avoid negative impacts on all sides in the industry.