Criminals in cabbies’ clothing

Recent assault of two refugees by taxi drivers has driven Tenaganita to call for more vigilance from taxi assocations and the authorities.

PETALING JAYA: Tenaganita has called on taxi associations nationwide to weed out criminals masquerading as taxi operators after two refugees fell victim to them earlier this week.

In what the NGO described as the “severest of incidents”, two Burmese refugees were assaulted and robbed when taking separate taxis in the wee hours of the morning.

At press conference in Tenaganita’s headquarters this afternoon, the duo requested that their identities be kept confidential for fear of being targeted by their attackers again.

The first victim, a 23-year-old, had taken a red and white taxi with his father and two brothers from Puchong to the United Nations (UN) office in Bukit Petaling at 5.30am on Monday.

The driver, however, diverted into a secluded area where he alighted, covered the taxi’s number plates and took out a blade which he held to the victims neck.

In the ensuing struggle left the victim requiring five stitches on his neck and 13 on his left hand. He was also robbed of RM220 and a mobile phone.

“This was my second traumatic experience with taxi drivers here,” he said. “The first was in April when a driver and his friend demanded RM200 for a trip from Putrajaya to Kota Raya.”

“When my friend and I told him we didn’t have that kind of money, they searched us and threatened to report us to the police. When we saw knives on the front seat we allowed them to take everything we had.”

The second victim, 26, was enroute from Cheras to Kota Raya at 4.30am on Tuesday when the driver of the green and white taxi stopped in back lane in Chinatown instead. The victim got out and handed the driver his fare but the latter drove off without taking it.

Moments later three men appeared, held a knife to his waist and proceeded to take his backpack, RM300 and a mobile phone. When he pleaded for his phone and some money, the trio grew enraged and beat him up.

“I have never felt this insecure and afraid in all my four years here,” he said as he touched his two swollen and discoloured eyes.

When asked if either had noticed the taxi drivers’ identification card on the dashboard, the first victim said there was none while the second said he didn’t notice it.

Need for greater vigilance

Tenaganita said it will send a letter to all taxi assocations but is still contemplating on lodging a police report due to the refugee status of both men.

Its executive director, Irene Fernandez, however asserted that this form of violence perpetrated by taxi operators questions the safety of all people whether local or foreign.

“There seems to be an emergence of robbers and gangsters camouflaging as taxi operators who hit, rob and run,” she said.

“So there needs to be greater vigilance to rid such operators and salvage the image of taxis as a safe means of transportation.”

Fernandez also called on the Road Transport Department and the police to intensify monitoring of taxi operators following what she termed as “the collapse of order and safe environment”.

“Have the enforcement agencies been too lenient or not vigilant in addressing the problem of assault and robbery?” she asked.

“The safety of passengers in the public transport system must be a key principle that cannot be compromised.”

Fernandez added that taxi drivers should also be forbidden from carrying knives in their vehicles which were now being used as weapons of attack and not for self-defence as intended.

“The authorities must also review the practice of licenses being issued en bloc and then farmed out,” she said. “This is part of the problem as it makes monitoring difficult.”

“The Crime Prevention Foundation must also play a part in coming up with creative methods of monitoring taxi operators, especially those who operate in the wee hours of the morning at places where these vulnerable communities reside.”