The Star Online: Metro: Central

Posted: 17 May 2013 05:40 AM PDT

The new taxi service system that allows city cabs to pick up passengers at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) received overwhelming response from taxi drivers.

Although the official starting time for this initiative was 12.30pm on Wednesday, about 140 city cabs started queuing up at the central holding bay near the airport at 9am.

The drivers arrived early in a bid to be the first to pick up passengers from KLIA.

Previously, city cabs could only send passengers to the airport. The right to pick up passengers was given to premium taxi concessionaire Airport Limo (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd.

The Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD) decided to introduce the new two-tier service system, involving both limousines and city cabs, to reduce waiting time for passengers to under 10 minutes.

To join the queue for the metered city cabs, passengers have to buy a RM2 coupon at designated counters. Fares are then charged according to the meters.

The city cabs operate from Level One of the KLIA main terminal building while limousines, which charge according to a zone coupon system, operate from Level Three.

During a StarMetro visit to KLIA around 1pm, about 30 city cabs were seen waiting for their turn to pick up passengers.

When approached, the taxi drivers said they welcomed the new initiative and hoped to earn more money by picking up passengers at KLIA.

Nonetheless, they said they were disappointed with the long waiting hours, as supply was more than demand at that time.

At 1pm, 17 coupons were sold at the city taxi counter at Level One. Two other counters were set up at the international and domestic arrival halls to inform passengers of the additional choice.

In response to the cab drivers' complaint, SPAD chairman Tan Sri Syed Hamid Albar explained that the peak hours were in the morning and evening.

"We understand that the drivers might be frustrated but we are monitoring this new initiative closely and will make improvements as and when necessary," he said.

One of the locals who purchased the coupon, Low Kim Soon, said he preferred the city cabs for their cheaper fare.

The 50-year-old was confident that it would most probably cost less to take the metered city cab from KLIA to USJ.

However, he said the new service should be publicised more within the airport.

"The promotional material should also be in a few different languages," he suggested.

Residents concerned over ominous cracks appearing at their flats

Posted: 16 May 2013 06:59 PM PDT

RESIDENTS at four blocks of low-cost flats with 160 units in Pinggiran Batu Caves, Batu Caves are living in fear after cracks appeared on the ground floor of each block.

The road near the parking area and the culverts has also sunk about one foot.

B. Thuraisingam, 60, who has been living in Block B for 20 years, said the Selayang Municipal Council (MPS) had not carried out any maintenance work at the flats for a very long time.

"Besides the cracks at the four blocks, the drains are broken, with concrete slabs covering them missing.

"Water is also seeping underground.

"The flats look shabby as they have not been painted for about 15 years.

"The main entrance to the flats is riddled with potholes and residents, especially the elderly, find it difficult to walk here," he said adding that there was also no proper lighting at the walkway to the flats.

Another resident, Abd Halim Jusoh, 54, who has lived there for 20 years, said he was disappointed with MPS for its lack of care and maintenance.

"Only rubbish is collected.

"Everything else has been left to rot.

"We stopped paying maintenance fees more than a decade ago and only pay our assessment fees now.

"However, this does not mean that we should be neglected.

"We have complained to MPS about the bad conditions here numerous times but to no avail.

"Most of us are still servicing bank loans for our units and we have no other place to go to," said another long-time resident Azhar Kuyob, 50, from Block A.

"I hope MPS will carry out repairs and help maintain the flats," he added.

Another resident T. Puspalingam, 63, who has been living here for 11 years, said MPS should not shirk its duties to the people.

MPS public relations director Mohd Zin Masoad said as there was no joint management body (JMB) for the blocks, the residents' complaints were left unattended to.

He said as the residents had stopped paying maintenance fees, the JMB that was maintaining the flats had been terminated several years ago.

"MPS was not aware of the residents problems.

"We did receive their calls but they must have a meeting and appoint a JMB to look into their welfare," he said.

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

Jumaat, 17 Mei 2013

The Star Online: Metro: Central

The Star Online: Metro: Central

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