‘Our county’s image is tainted’: Malaysia gets tough on taxi touts

Malaysia’s government wants to stamp out taxi touts, a practice it says has cheated tourists for decades and is tarnishing the country’s reputation.

Touting, particularly at Kuala Lumpur International Airport, had been an issue for more than a decade and was betraying the country’s interests, Transport Minister Anthony Loke said at the launch of a new airport travel initiative on Thursday.

Tourists were arriving eager to explore Malaysia, only to be cheated at the airport exit, he said.

“Imagine tourists arriving happily, ready to travel and spend in Malaysia, but the moment they leave the airport, they get cheated – taken to Kuala Lumpur and charged 300 ringgit (US$71) to 400 ringgit (US$94) when the fare is less than 100 ringgit (US$23),” Loke was quoted as saying by state news agency Bernama.

“They get angry and post their experiences on social media. In the end, our country’s image is tainted, and other tourists may hesitate to visit Malaysia.”

The minister said he had ordered the Road Transport Department to pursue touts with summonses, vehicle seizures and prosecutions.