Gabungan Teksi SeMalaysia (GTSM) president Kamarudin Mohd Hussain said the one-off aid was necessary as the lockdowns in the past two years and the rising prices of goods had affected their livelihood.

“We ask and hope that the government would provide a RM500 special aid for all our members, including those in Sabah and Sarawak.

“We hope that you would consider our appeal,” Kamarudin said in a letter to finance minister Tengku Zafrul Aziz.

The federal budget for next year will be tabled in the Dewan Rakyat on Oct 7, after being brought forward from the initial date of Oct 28.

Taxi and e-hailing drivers had struggled throughout the pandemic because of the drastic drop in the number of passengers.

The lifting of restrictions and reopening of international borders have brought them some respite, with foreign tourists returning to the country.

However, the nation continues to grapple with the rising costs of goods because of global inflationary pressures.