GEORGE TOWN: Thousands of taxi and school bus drivers risk missing out on the government’s one-off RM1,000 aid under Budget 2027 unless eligibility rules are relaxed, say industry representatives.
They hoped that the assistance would be extended to drivers with expired licences and those working for operators registered as cooperatives and associations.
Gabungan Teksi Malaysia president Kamarudin Mohd Hussain urged the Land Public Transport Agency (APAD) to extend the deadline by a week to allow drivers to renew their licences through the iSPKP system.
He said some drivers were unfamiliar with the online system or did not know how to complete the process.
“We hope APAD can give them another week and help them with the registration process,” he said.
Kamarudin estimated that between 1,000 and 2,000 drivers had yet to renew their licences, in addition to the 38,000 already registered.
Federation of Malaysian School Bus Associations president Amali Munif Rahmat said the aid should also cover drivers working for operators registered with the Malaysia Co-operative Societies Commission or the Registrar of Societies.
He said eligibility should not be restricted to operators registered with the Companies Commission of Malaysia.
He claimed that during the Covid-19 pandemic, fewer than 30% of about 32,000 school bus drivers identified as potential aid recipients received payments because only SSM-registered operators qualified.
“We hope this time the assistance will be given to all school bus drivers, including those under cooperatives and associations,” he said.
Under Budget 2027, a one-off RM1,000 payment will be provided for each of 38,000 taxi and hire car drivers and 15,000 school bus drivers.
The aid, funded by proceeds from the sale of special H-series vehicle registration numbers, is scheduled to be paid next week.
