By Jane Ritikos

KUALA LUMPUR(Malaysia): Taxi drivers will be allowed to do side businesses by selling packet drinks and phonecards to passengers.

Entrepreneur and Cooperative Development Minister Datuk Noh Omar said this was to help them supplement their income.

"The cabbies can sell drinks or pre-paid cards by collaborating with telcos in their taxis," he told reporters yesterday after presenting certificates to 135 taxi drivers who completed a course co-organised by the ministry and Malaysian Taxi, Limousine and Hired Car Drivers and Operators Association (Petekma).

Another move to help cabbies supplement their income was to make it simpler for taxis to seek ministry approval to carry advertisements, including placing them on the roof of the vehicle.

He added the ministry had decided to increase the road worthiness of taxis from seven years to 10 years, as long as they received approval from Puspakom.

On new standardised taxis to be specially designed and produced by Proton, Noh said the ministry was working to get the national car manufacturer to trade in the taxis.

Noh also said public transport fares would be reviewed on an annual basis from next year. The last review was in 2005.

"If we review the fares every four, five years the increment will drastic. By making it annual, any increment will be more reasonable and less of a burden to consumers," he said.

Noh added the ministry had actually completed its fare review but had to re-look it following several incentives recently given for public transportation, including slashed toll rates and fuel incentives.

He said the review would also consider peak hours as well as distance travelled as the ministry wanted to resolve the problem of cabbies not wanting to take passengers during peak hours.

Noh also said the Government would issue 1,000 permits to individual taxi drivers by this year.

A cabinet committee on pubic transportation, expected to be chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, will be set up for the purpose.

Petekma president Yusoff Lahir lauded the opportunity given to cabbies to take up side businesses and suggested they could also offer services like selling insurance.

"Of course, cabbies won't be selling nasi lemak in the taxi," he said.