Kuala lumpur: The Road Transport Department (JPJ) found some licensed e-hailing drivers at Kuala Lumpur International Airport Terminals 1 and 2 bypassing their booking applications and charging tourists high fares during the Ops Ulat crackdown.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, JPJ director-general Datuk Aedy Fadly Ramli revealed that these drivers loiter in arrival halls and approach tourists, especially foreigners, offering direct services instead of using official applications that regulate fares and queues. This practice targets tourists unfamiliar with local transportation options, deceiving them with excessively high fees. A typical taxi ride to Kuala Lumpur should cost between RM65 and RM80, yet tourists are being charged between RM500 and RM800, leading to negative feedback about Malaysia as a destination.
A recent incident involved a tourist from China who agreed to pay RM60 for a ride from KLIA T2 to Kuala Lumpur but was coerced into paying RM836 upon arrival, unable to leave the vehicle until the payment was made. Datuk Aedy emphasized that such actions violate the law, compromise the integrity of Malaysia's public transport system, disadvantage licensed operators, and tarnish the nation's image.
The KLIA Ops Ulat operation, conducted from June 12 to 26, involved collaboration with the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) and Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB), with JPJ personnel from Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, Negeri Sembilan, and Melaka participating. Undercover agents and decoys, both Malaysian and foreign, were used to catch the touts exploiting tourists at KLIA terminals.
During the operation, JPJ checked 59 vehicles and took action against 54, including 27 private vehicles, 16 e-hailing vehicles, nine taxis, and two company-owned vehicles. A total of 76 notices were issued for offences under the Land Public Transport Act 2010 (LPTA), with 70 to locals and six to foreigners, addressing violations under Sections 205, 16(1), 243(1), and 22 of the LPTA.
JPJ also discovered that Bangladeshi nationals were involved in touting at KLIA, preying on tourists from their own country due to easier communication. Touting was also detected at other airports, such as Subang, Penang, Johor, and Terengganu, with KLIA reporting the highest number of cases.
Datuk Aedy stated that JPJ will continue enforcement operations at all major airports and increase daily patrols at KLIA T1 and T2 to prevent touting and safeguard Malaysia's tourism reputation.