Cabbie offers 'extras' not metered ride

THE Malay Mail took a "test ride" following complaints by a group of Singaporean tourists that they were fleeced by a taxi driver when they wanted to go to the Bird Park from Central Market here recently. Our reporter, HAMZAH NAZARI, swung into action by posing as a Singaporean interested in visiting both landmarks yesterday to see if taxi drivers were still up to their old tricks. This is his account: I was offered a "beautiful" woman, told that taxi drivers do not use meters on weekends, public holidays or at tourist service centres, reassured that taxi drivers do not lie, and was shown a "broken" meter when trying to get a taxi in Kuala Lumpur. Following a tip-off that taxi drivers going to, and from, the Kuala Lumpur Bird Park and Central Market were refusing to use their meters and charging over-the-top fees for tourists, I was assigned to verify the accusations by posing as an English-speaking-only foreign tourist at these places. Starting at the Bird Park at around 11.30am, I approached the taxi-coupon counter and asked for a taxi to Central Market. A woman at the counter told me I would have to pay RM14 and proceeded to fill out a coupon but, as I protested at the high fee, she told me I could try asking those stopped near the roadside, adding that they would charge the same price. Read more... Jarumemas: This incident did happen before and to other victims.