I TRAVEL overseas rather frequently using the KLIA. Proudly advertised within the premises is the announcement that KLIA has been voted the World’s Best Airport for two consecutive years.

I have no doubt that the ambience and facilities are comparable to some of the international airports in the Asian region.

However, when it comes to the taxi service, I am truly disappointed. There are so many complaints about taxi touts at such an international class airport that it has become embarrassing. The reason these touts thrive is due to the poor service dished out by the official KLIA limo operators

On many occasions, upon returning to Malaysia, I have had to wait 45 to 60 minutes to get into a limo. The queue weaves along for almost 50 metres to the point of embarking.

I do not experience such long waits in Singapore, Bangkok, Hong Kong, Taipei and Busan which are all international airports too.

Therefore, I’d like to invite the Transport Minister to visit KLIA to view for himself the actual situation.

Go there as an ordinary citizen without the official protocol and you’ll see the real situation on the arrival floor.

Why does the government spend so much money in promoting Visit Malaysia Year when the first thing that greets tourists is the Malaysian hospitality of a long limo queue followed by horrendous city taxi service and rude taxi drivers?

I feel so ashamed when my foreign colleagues visit Malaysia and all they remember is the very poor taxi service they have to endure daily in commuting.

Is anyone going to have nice things to say about Malaysia after such a bad experience? I wonder.

It is high time that the authorities concerned work towards revamping the taxi industry and make it a reliable public transport system for both tourists and local commuters.

http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/5/1/focus/21113630&sec=focus