PUTRAJAYA: A portion of proceeds from the special number plates opened for bidding will be used to pay Social Security Organisation (Socso) contributions for taxi drivers, says the Transport Ministry.

       Its Minister Anthony Loke said this was to provide some sort of safety net for taxi drivers.

       “We already have their figures and know the financial cost.

       “As we know, taxi drivers are generally seniors, with some being army veterans.

       “By providing Socso contributions, they are covered in case of any incidents,” he told a press conference after launching the “GOLD” number plate series here on Tuesday (Jan 30).

       Loke added that some 40,000 taxi drivers will receive Socso contributions through this initiative.

       Separately, Loke said about 6,369 passengers benefitted from the government’s initiative to cap the price of flight tickets from the peninsula to Sabah and Sarawak at RM599 three days before Christmas festivities last December.

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       He said RM2.7mil was spent subsidising the flights, with the average subsidy for each ticket being RM429.

       “This same initiative will be carried out for the coming Chinese New Year and Hari Raya celebrations in April,” he said.

       On the free commuter rides offered by Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad (KTMB) on Jan 24 and Jan 25 in conjunction with Thaipusam celebrations, Loke said it recorded 300,325 passengers using the service.

       “I understand there were some challenges which affected train frequencies.

       “We acknowledge this and will work on improving our services for the coming years,” Loke said.