A CABBIES’ group will field a candidate in the Tanjung Piai by-election to express their dissatisfaction with both the government and opposition.

Malaysian Taxi Drivers’ Coalition (GTS) president Kamaruddin Hussain said the candidate will be a Johor native and stand as an independent.

He told The Malaysian Insight that taxi drivers want to “teach both sides a lesson” for failing the industry.

“This message is not only for Barisan Nasional, but Pakatan Harapan as well. If they don’t change their ways, then votes will never reach them.

“We hope that Tg Piai voters will use this opportunity to send a message to all parties that they, the voters, are not beholden to anyone, and will choose the right candidate to represent them.”

GTS will hold a press conference tomorrow to announce its candidate, he said.

Kamaruddin said the group’s main complaint about BN and PH is their failure to look after cabbies’ welfare.

“Taxi drivers have supported BN over the years, but the pact didn’t care about our welfare. We have twice sent memorandums on our plight to former prime minister Najib Razak, but there was no response.

“We then hoped that PH would assist us, but that did not happen. Instead, they are focusing more on the e-hailing industry. They are worse than BN, which had provided taxi drivers with new tyres.”

He added that the ruling pact, too, has not entertained a memorandum submitted by GTS.

The November 16 Tg Piai by-election has so far shaped up to be a three-way fight between Bersatu’s Karmaine Sardini for PH, MCA’s Wee Jeck Seng for BN and Wendy Subramaniam of Gerakan.

The seat was declared vacant after its MP, Md Farid Md Rafik of Bersatu, died last month of heart complications.

Tg Piai has 52,986 registered voters, with 26,565 in the Kukup state constituency and 26,421 in Pekan Nenas. The racial breakdown of voters is 57% Malays, Chinese (42%) and Indians (1%). – October 31, 2019.