M'sia driver arrested after asking tourist to pay RM800 for RM60 ride

A Malaysian driver suspected of illegal taxi touting activities at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) has been arrested on September 21, as reported by The Malaysia Gazette.

The driver was arrested after a Sep. 15 social media post went viral.

According to the video, two Chinese tourists were initially offered RM60 (S$18.40) for their ride.

However, they were made to pay RM800 (S$244.60) upon arrival at their hotel.

What happened?

The tourists were trying to flag down a taxi from KLIA to take them to the city centre.

That was when a man reportedly approached them and offered to send them to their hotel for a fare of RM60 (S$18.40).

Thinking that the fare was affordable, both of the tourists agreed and got into a vehicle with the driver’s wife.

However, the driver allegedly did not stop at the hotel but continued driving to a dark and secluded area before demanding a fare of RM836 (s$244.60) instead.

The two victims of touting also alleged that they were locked up, strangled and slapped by the driver.

Taxi touters moving in groups

The driver who was arrested was believed to have been working as part of a group.

According to The Sun, the modus operandi of the syndicate was to approach newly arrived foreign tourists and offer them low prices for transportation to the city.

When the suspect was arrested by undercover officers, she was in the midst of trying to deceive tourists from the Philippines, even after her video had gone viral.

"When the driver was detained, she explained that she did it to earn extra income and claimed she was able to make three trips in a day," the director of the JPJ later revealed in a press conference.

In a Facebook post shared by the Malaysian transport minister, he mentioned that the car belonging to the driver has been seized, and investigation papers have been opened for further action.

Top images via lokesiewfook/Facebook