KUALA LUMPUR, April 15 — Applications for taxi and rental car licence will be reopened to individuals under ‘sole proprietorship and partnership’, from April 18 to June 30.

Transport Minister Datuk Seri Wee Ka Siong said the decision to reopen the applications that has been frozen since 2016, was made following requests from the public and existing taxi drivers who wished to have their own taxi licence.

"In an effort to boost the taxi industry, the Transport Ministry through the Land Public Transport Agency (APAD) has agreed that the taxi and rental car class licence application be opened to the public,” he said in a statement today.

According to Wee, for a start, the licence approval quota is set at 1,000 licences this year and APAD will analyse all applications received after the deadline.

He said if the number of eligible applications that meet the requirements set exceeded the quota, APAD would consider the appropriate additional quota.

Wee said APAD had also abolished the requirement of having one to three years’ experience driving a taxi or rental stipulated under the Taxi Industry Transformation Programme.

However, he said other requirements that were previously imposed remained to ensure a competitive and of quality applicants’ participation in an effort to provide the best service to passengers.

"This announcement is also expected to open opportunities for new players, especially the younger generation to venture into the public transport sector as well as boost the country’s economy,” he said.

Wee said the ministry was committed to creating a competitive taxi industry environment and user-friendly services that are in line with current technological improvements.

Detailed information on the application is available on the APAD official portal at https://www.apad.gov.my. — Bernama