JB taxi drivers want GST be abolished

JOHOR BARU: The government has been urged to abolish Goods and Services Tax (GST) charges on the taxi industry.
In making this call, The Federation of Johor Baru Registered Taxi Associations president Raja Mohd Nor Mohamad said the implementation of GST had badly hit the income of the drivers.
"GST is a burden for taxi drivers, from renting a taxi, buying tyres, car spare parts, plus the hike of NGV prices, all these factors have attributed to the plight of taxi drivers," he said in a press conference at its Taman Daya office today.
He said the association had submitted its requests in a memorandum to the Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD) and Johor Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin some six months ago but there has been no response so far.
He said, the last fare hike was in April this year, but because of the implementation of GST and a 37% hike in NGV price, from RM0.68 up to RM1.05, their income becomes less when compared to before GST.
The federation has 19 taxi associations as members comprising about 5,000 members in Johor Baru.