KUCHING: More young people are being encouraged to enter the taxi industry and ensure the sector continues to have a future as existing operators grow older.
Deputy Transport Minister, Datuk Hasbi Habibollah, said the younger generation could help prevent the industry from becoming a “sunset” sector.
He said some younger people were already entering the industry by taking over taxi businesses from their family members.
“Hopefully, our young people will get involved in the taxi industry. This is also a way for them to earn a living, just as our parents did before us,” he said after officiating at the National ‘Teksi MADANI’ Renewal Programme at the UNIFOR Complex here today.
Hasbi said younger people could also have an advantage when seeking financing to enter the industry.
“With our age still being young, it may be easier to obtain financing and loans,” he said.
He said the government already provided incentives that could benefit younger people interested in becoming taxi operators, with no separate incentive structure specifically required for them.
“The incentives that are already available are also given to young people today. There is no difference,” he said.
Hasbi said attracting younger drivers was important as the taxi industry had traditionally been sustained by older generations and family businesses.
He said the government hoped more young people would see taxi driving as a viable livelihood rather than allowing the industry to depend solely on existing operators.
There are currently 446 registered taxi drivers in Sarawak, according to the Ministry of Transport.
Hasbi said efforts to bring younger people into the sector would help ensure the taxi industry remained relevant and continued serving as part of the public transport system in Sarawak.
