Don’t nab cabbies under Sosma for driving undocumented migrants, group tells govt

Don’t nab cabbies under Sosma for driving undocumented migrants, group tells govt

Gabungan Teksi SeMalaysia says taxi drivers have no right to check passengers to determine whether they are documented or not.

(From left) Gabungan Teksi Semalaysia treasurer Fazli Fathil, president Kamarudin Mohd Hussain, vice-president Manugheera Sellany and committee member Manickan Masupu.
KUALA LUMPUR:
A taxi association today urged authorities not to arrest and charge taxi drivers found ferrying illegal immigrants under the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 or Sosma, saying cabbies have no right to check passengers to determine whether they are documented or not.

Gabungan Teksi SeMalaysia (GTSM) president Kamarudin Mohd Hussain said drivers had to accept every passenger or risk being sued by the Land Public Transport Agency.

“Our permits could be suspended as well,” he said at a press conference here.

According to him, there are currently six taxi drivers detained under Sosma.

He said detaining drivers for days and seizing their permits and vehicles for investigation purposes was “inhumane”.

“We urge the government to look into this matter.”

On Monday, GTSM submitted a letter of appeal to Inspector-General of Police Abdul Hamid Bador, the home ministry and Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, asking them to look into the issue and release the detained taxi drivers.

GTSM treasurer Fazli Fathil said the government should focus on strengthening the borders instead of blaming taxi drivers.

“We are only doing our job. We should not be held responsible,” he said.

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