KLIA taxi touts could face seizure of vehicles – JPJ

Illegal taxi touts operating at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) could face forfeiture of their vehicles under measures enforced by the road transport department (JPJ), New Straits Times has reported.

Tougher action is necessary to curb the activity, particularly for repeat offenders, said JPJ senior enforcement director Datuk Muhammad Kifli Ma Hassan.

“These activities are a negative phenomenon that can tarnish the country’s image and have economic implications, especially for the tourism and public transport sectors. It involves offering unauthorised ride-hailing services, particularly at the arrival halls of KLIA Terminal 1 (T1) and Terminal 2 (T2),” he said.

Illegal touts charge higher fares compared with registered services, and these ranged from RM80 to RM150 from the airport to Kuala Lumpur, with some reaching as high as RM850 in a case that was publicised last year, according to the report.

The road transport department had forfeited a vehicle belonging to a repeat offender last year, and even stricter action would be taken this year, Muhammad Kifli said. Vehicles involved in illegal touting have been forfeited under Section 227 of the Land Public Transport Act 2010, which will see offenders face charges under Section 205 and fines of up to RM50,000, the report wrote.

A total of 211 arrests were made at KLIA last year, comprised of 113 at Terminal 1 and 78 at Terminal 2. Of these, 189 arrests involved private vehicles, 19 involved rental vehicles, and three arrests were made without involving vehicles. A total of RM2.03 million in fines have been collected for the offence since 2023, according to the JPJ senior enforcement director.