KUALA LUMPUR: A member of Parliament today proposed to the government to review the taxi service in the country so that it can continue to be competitive.
Citing the fast-expanding Uber taxi service which offers lower fares compared to conventional taxi service, Tan Sri Shahrir Abdul Samad (BN-Johor Baharu) said the government should also look at how the Internet could be put into optimal use to lure more passengers.
“I am proposing that the government review the taxi service in the country, including on measures to reduce all the relevant costs, including for vehicle inspection.
“The reduction of these costs will help to improve taxi service,” he said when debating the Supplementary Supply Bill (2015) 2016 at Dewan Rakyat today.
Shahrir also proposed that there should be more Computerised Vehicle Inspection Centres (Puspakom) by franchising the service to facilitate taxi drivers carried out periodic inspections on their vehicles.
Datuk Ikmal Hisham Abdul Aziz (BN-Tanah Merah), on the other hand, urged the Transport Ministry to investigate the closure of Malaysia Airlines Berhad (MAB) ticket counters at airports in the Peninsular Malaysia.
He said the closure of counters had made it difficult for customers to buy tickets at the last minute.
Meanwhile, Deputy Finance Minister Datuk Johari Abdul Ghani when winding up the debate for his ministry, said the ministry would propose to the Employees Provident Fund (EPF) to raise the age for the payment of death benefit to depositors to 60 years.
He said this was in line with the change of government policy on retirement age of civil servants from 55 to 60 years.
“The claim by the next-of-kin could only be made within six months after the death of the member, so we are asking EPF to reconsider the regulation,” he said.
Earlier, the bill which seeks additional funds of RM3.31 billion was tabled for second reading at Dewan Rakyat by Johari.
A large portion of the allocation amounting to RM2.33 billion was channeled to the Statutory Funds and the remaining amount would be channeled to Urban Wellbeing, Housing and Local Government Ministry, Foreign Ministry, Transport Ministry, Parliament and the Prime Minister’s Department.
Also receiving a portion of the additional allocation is the Education Department involving an estimated expenditure for RM125 million.