Speaking after a demonstration involving over 200 taxi drivers against the idea, Big Blue Taxi company founder Shamsubahrin Ismail asked how Pua could make such remarks when he wasn’t a minister.

“We cannot talk to Pua or anybody else. I think we need to talk to Lim because this issue started with his political secretary,” said Shamsubahrin, who is an outspoken critic of e-hailing services like Grab.

“I don’t know why the political secretary is more powerful than Lim. Does he have the power to say all this? I thought only the minister has the right to do so.”

Shamsubahrin, who earlier met with a representative from the finance ministry, also asked why the proposal was limited to Grab, a question posed by several other taxi associations as well.

He said the problems faced by taxi drivers had yet to be resolved, which was why they wanted a meeting to discuss “what is right and what is wrong”.

Meanwhile, Persatuan Transformasi Pemandu Teksi Malaysia (PERS1M) deputy chairman Kamarudin Mohd Hussain urged Transport Minister Loke Siew Fook to explain his plans and direction for the taxi industry.

He also voiced disappointment with the Pakatan Harapan (PH) government which his association had previously backed.

“Unfortunately, after PH won and became the government, not one government representative looked into our welfare.

“We are like garbage to the government, of no value.”

Earlier today, Loke denied any plans by the government to scrap the feeder bus service and replace it with Grab, saying this was “just a proposal” by Pua.

Pua was previously reported as saying Putrajaya was considering pursuing public-private partnerships in areas such as public transport.

“Why would you provide feeder buses if you can work with Grab? They can actually arrive and give door-to-door delivery from the MRT to commuters’ homes at a reasonable price, and at a cost that will be cheaper than us supplying feeder buses,” he was quoted as saying.