AL Plenary | New law requires voice-recording equipment inside taxis

The Legislative Assembly (AL) has passed a law concerning the city’s future taxi operations, stating that, in the future, only taxi companies can apply for concessions for taxi operators. The Secretary for Transport and Public Works, Raimundo do Rosário, said during his presentation of the bill, “we all want taxi services to improve. I think we all have several opinions on the taxi services, such that the image of those services is bad. There are many complaints, regardless if they come from Macau residents or tourists.”

Rosário explained that the bill mainly entails that only companies can bid for taxi operation concessions, and that the cars and the taxi drivers should have licenses.

“It cannot be an individual [bidding for the taxi operation license]. We want to be better in taxi service supervision,” declared the Secretary, who added that the bill also rules that GPS and voice recording equipment should be installed inside the taxis.

Lawmakers’ expressed concerns regarding the bill mostly relating to the fact that concessions will only be available for companies to bid, not for individuals.

Ip Sio Kai questioned the government as to whether it intends to encourage competition by introducing such a policy.

Zheng Anting stated that “taxi drivers and the companies will be in a relationship of managing and being managed.”

Another concern is that taxis will be requested to install voice-recording equipment.

Au Kam San pointed out the situation when “a passenger [can] shout ‘you [taxi driver] beat me’ while it was in fact the passenger who was harming the driver,” in order to corrupt the voice recording evidence.

Angela Leong also noted that “voices might be vague, [a video-recording] is probably more complete and clearer.”

Agnes Lam, however, wondered whether the government would consider introducing app-based taxi hailing. 

Mak Soi Kun asked whether the government should prevent taxis from working during typhoon No.8.

Rosário, when replying to the lawmakers, said that his departments “have not reached a consensus.” He further noted that society and the lawmakers have different opinions.

Regarding the regulation that suggests only companies can apply for taxi concessions, the Secretary remarked that “there is not one single thing in the world with only good sides.” He then noted that the relationship between the companies and the drivers is one of “employer and employees.”

He also said “we don’t encourage taxis to work during typhoon [No.8].”

The Secretary also stated that “we will not have a specific taxi law for app-based hailing taxis.”

Replying to the lawmakers’ further questions, he noted that that the government will not list, within the law, the limitation on the number of taxi licenses for which each company can apply. He explained that the adoption of such a measure gives the government some flexibility when opening a public tender each time.

Leong Sun Iok wondered about the fairness of protecting drivers when there is a dispute between them and the passengers. He also asked whether the government would consider establishing a committee for the taxi drivers to file appeals.

“First, we have never considered [establishing] the committee. We can discuss it, but during the proceedings [of the bill’s discussion] nobody mentioned that,” said Rosário.

The Director of the Transport Bureau (DSAT), Lam Hin San, expressed his confidence in the effectiveness of voice-recording equipment in helping the law enforcement officers deciding what happens inside the taxis.

Another government representative noted that any taxi driver who intends to appeal to the government regarding a dispute, can write an appeal to the government within 15 days after the dispute took place. The government then will investigate the case.

Tax reduction should encourage use of public transportation

A tax reduction bill, aimed at owners whose vehicles were damaged during last year’s Typhoon Hato, has been passed through the Legislative Assembly (AL).  The bill proposes a tax reduction on flooded or heavily damaged vehicles that have been traded in for new vehicles.

The calculation of the final amount will also take into consideration the number of years the damaged vehicle was in operation.

Each year of life will correspond to a depreciation rate of 10 percent per year after the first year of age up to a limit of 10 years. 

Lawmaker Au Kam San noted that, “obviously, it’s not necessary for the tax to be refunded only if the residents buy new cars.”

Au shared the same opinion as Agnes Lam, who said “the bill obviously stated that owners can only get the tax reduction if they buy a new car. Basically, this kind of tax reduction acts as a punishment because you have to buy a new car in order to get the tax reduction. In Macau, we can enjoy big tax benefits if we buy environmental friendly car.”

The Secretary for Economy and Finance, Lionel Leong, in response to the lawmakers, reaffirmed that the tax reduction “is absolutely not a compensation.”

Following the responses of other governmental representatives, Agnes Lam asked why “let them buy a car but not an electric motorbike?”

Au Kam San then questioned “why can’t [people] drive a car? Why can’t they use public transportation? If they buy an environmental friendly car, it is tax-free already. If you can encourage them to buy an environmentally friendly car, why not encourage them not to drive? Why not try using a tax-refund method to solve the problem?”

Au hopes the government will further discuss the topic.

“I reaffirm that the bill is a tax-reduction for those families whose cars were damaged during the typhoon, and who need to buy a new car. It is not a tax refund policy. Besides, I, personally, strongly support environmental protection. We hope that they will use public transport,” said Lionel Leong.

According to the Transport Bureau (DSAT), a total of 6,521 vehicle registration numbers were canceled and are eligible related for the tax reduction, including 3,240 cars and 3,281 motorbikes, involving an estimated MOP147.7 million in tax reduction.

On the lawmakers’ agenda

BUS SAFETY AND BUS FARES Several lawmakers have urged the government to improve the city’s public bus safety. Lawmakers including Chui Sai Peng, Angela Leong and Leong Sun Iok suggested conducting research on how to increase the supply of bus drivers, to allow present drivers more time to rest and maintain safe driving behaviors. Leong Sun Iok further suggested that the government urge bus companies to train drivers to improve their proficiency. Leong hopes that the government can improve public transportation services following the bus fare increase.

PAID PLASTIC BAGS Chan Hong wants the government to announce the legislative procedure regarding charging a fee when customers request plastic shopping bags. Chan hopes the government can complete the establishment of the related laws in 2019. In addition, she stated that the government should improve the public’s environmental awareness through other means to lead the public towards using less plastic bags of their own initiative, which would reduce the use of plastic bags at the source.  She also suggested that authorities establish supervisory regulations over plastic bag usage, such as through the introduction of punitive measures. 

DRIVING LICENSES RECOGNITION Ng Kuok Cheong and Au Kam San criticized the government regarding the proposal to mutually recognize driving licenses between mainland China and Macau.  Ng said that the government “is suspected of ignoring the public’s opinion, and is walking [in] the wrong direction in terms of regional cooperation.” Au calls on the Chief Executive to cancel the authorization of the Secretary for Transport and Public Works to sign an agreement with mainland China concerning the proposal, and urged the government to conduct a public consultation on the topic, and to only engage in other discussions after the society reaches a consensus.