MEDIA MUST ALSO REPORT TAXI REGISTRATION

KUALA LUMPUR, March 20 (Bernama) -- In their news reports on errant taxi
drivers, the media must include the registration number of their vehicles to be
fair to their innocent colleagues.

On the other hand, Entrepreneur and Cooperatives Development Minister Noh
Omar said, random reports on the wrong-doings of taxi drivers would only create
a negative perception on the fraternity.

"When a negative report was made at random against taxi drivers, their pride
will be hurt and people will start losing faith in them," he said.

Noh was speaking at a dialogue with taxi drivers, during which he presented
approval letters for 1,515 private taxi drivers here Thursday.

On a possibility that the safety of a taxi driver would be threatened if the
taxi registration number was disclosed, the minister said it would depend on the
public evaluation.

"What matters is that we do not want the innocent taxi drivers to be blamed
for the wrong-doings of their irresponsible counterparts," he said.

Wrong-doings by taxi drivers include, among others, refusal to charge fares
by the metre, imposing additional charge on passengers and committing crimes
like robbery and rape.

Meanwhile, Noh said the government had also allocated RM60 million
(US$=RM3.66) from the Public Transport Development Fund for Mara to help private
taxi drivers to purchase their own taxis.

"Apart from Mara, those interested can also take a direct loan from Bank
Rakyat (People's Bank) if the loan is less than RM20,000," he said.

-- BERNAMA