High Court strikes out taxi drivers’ negligence suit against SPAD

KUALA LUMPUR: The Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD) has succeeded in its bid to strike out a suit by 102 taxi drivers over an alleged negligence.

High Court judge Justice Su Geok Yiam made the order after allowing a striking out application by SPAD.

Justice Su made the rulings on grounds that they should have filed the suit by way of a judicial review and not writ of summons together with statement of claim.

She said this was because among the remedies pleaded was a mandamus order against SPAD to carry out its duty under the law.

She also added that Uber, Grabcar and Blacklane were not named in the lawsuit together with SPAD.

On Dec 30, last year, the taxi drivers from the Klang Valley filed the suit against SPAD over the ride-sharing service Uber, Grabcar and Blacklane online taxi service providers which they claimed to be illegal.

The plaintiffs sought a declaration from SPAD that Uber, Grabcar and Blacklane operations are illegal since such an online service was not bound by the Land Public Transport Act.

They also sought an injunction for SPAD not to approve the activities and operations of the three online taxi service providers, besides issuing a guideline and circular, subject to agreement of the terms, to ban their operations and activities.

They sought general damages, costs, interest and other relief deemed fit by the court.

In their statement of claim, the plaintiffs said the Uber, Grabcar and Blacklane operations have adversely affected the local taxi service industry as the latter’s fares were lower than those of the metered taxis