CVLB SEEKS SECURITY ASSURANCE FOR HIRED CARS ENTERING NEIGHBOURING COUNTRIES

KOTA BAHARU (Malaysia), Nov 19 (Bernama) -- The Commercial Vehicle Licensing Board (CVLB) will propose to the Asean Secretariat to provide security assurance for public transport vehicles crossing the border of member countries.

Its chairman, Markiman Kobiran, said this would facilitate public transport
like hired cars crossing the border and being assured of the safety of their
drivers.

He said this would be in line with the Asean Free Trade Area (AFTA)
agreement to relax border crossing of public transport among Asean countries in
2015.

"Drivers of hired vehicles in this country are afraid of carrying
passengers across the border to Thailand due to several bombing incidents in
that country.

"The CVLB feels cross-border hired car business could thrive if the
security factor is resolved," he told reporters after witnessing the closing of
an entrepreneur course for hired car owners here Tuesday.

Markiman said as there was no security assurance, hired car drivers
unloaded their passengers at the border and did not dare enter the neigbouring
countries.

On the other hand, he said hired car owners from Thailand were able to
ferry passengers across the border to this country without fear of their safety.

He said Malaysia and Singapore had allowed border crossing of taxis and
hired cars between both countries.

"Currently, 200 taxis from Malaysia and 200 from Singapore ply between both
countries," he said.