Malaysian PM Hails Taxi Drivers as Nation's Image Ambassador

PUTRAJAYA, July 4 (Bernama) –- Prime Minister Najib Razak on Wednesday hailed taxi drivers as an important group which can portray a good image of the country. He said they could form in the public, particularly foreign tourists, a perception of the country they visited. The perception, either good or otherwise, was formed when these people used taxis and interacted with the drivers, he said when launching the Tourism Taxi Ambassador Programme, which saw almost 2,000 taxis at Putra Square, here. Najib said that when tourists received satisfactory service, they would feel they were in a country of friendly people prepared to do their best to raise the nation's image. The prime minister also said that the close to RM35 million (US$11.1 million) in incentives for taxi drivers under the 'Teksi Rakyat 1Malaysia' (TR1Ma) announced recently was preliminary assistance because the government was striving to provide a new development model for the taxi industry. Najib said the new model would enable the government to better handle the welfare of taxi drivers. The Tourism Taxi Ambassador Programme, which was started in March, is initially targeted at taxi drivers in the Klang Valley, and is intended to inculcate in them ethical values. The selected taxi drivers would have to undergo a six-month course which would also incorporate information on Malaysia and the National Tourism Policy. It is targeted that 4,000 taxi drivers would be appointed as the tourism ambassadors, and up to last month 2,315 taxi drivers had been selected to undergo the course. -- BERNAMA