It is always amazing to see leaders from both sides of the political divide fall heads over heels in love with taxi drivers whenever a general election looms.
The latest to reach out to taxi drivers was Kedah Menteri Besar Ahmad Bashah Md Hanipah, who has taken a sudden interest in their welfare.
After having breakfast with taxi drivers in Sungai Petani recently, he promised to request that the Land Public Transport Commission provide facilities for driving licence renewals in town so they no longer needed to travel all the way to Alor Setar to get it done.. He also said he would intensify the enforcement on illegal taxi services.
In turn, he urged taxi drivers to promote state government policies, activities and programmes to their passengers, and provide feedback on government projects.
Before the last general election in 2013, politicians told taxi drivers in the Klang Valley that their contracts with taxi companies were akin to slave labour. However with the advent of ride-hailing apps in 2014, taxi drivers were abandoned by almost everyone. Many gave up driving taxis altogether.
The reality is, passengers no longer listen to taxi drivers. Decades ago, taxi drivers may have been more knowledgeable than ordinary folk but the situation is reversed today.
While they are sitting in taxis, people with smartphones have access to the latest news and information, and do not fancy the views expressed by individuals, least of all taxi drivers who are certainly not as smart as they think.
In developed countries, barbers and hairdressers yield greater influence but in Malaysia, most barbers are from India and have little interest in local affairs.
Can old-school methods be applied today? Are rural folk still as ignorant as they once were? Do they not know that the money spent by the government comes from their own pockets after they have paid taxes such as the GST? Ought they to be grateful for government projects?
The answers will vary according to constituencies, as most people cannot differentiate fact from perception anymore.
CY Ming is an FMT reader.
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