Videos show taxi-Uber clash in Sabah
Taxi drivers confront Uber drivers at popular taxi stand in Kota Kinabalu, forcing passengers to leave car.
This came to light after two videos were shared on social media in the past week showing Uber drivers being reprimanded by taxi drivers.
Both videos, which seemeed to be have been taken at a popular taxi stand here at night, showed the taxi drivers opening the drivers’ side door of the car and confronting the Uber drivers.
On both occasions, this was done after a passenger had gotten in and sat at the back seat of the car.
The Uber drivers were spoken to without any harsh language being used initially, but there were shouts in the background presumably from other taxi drivers gathered around the car.
The taxi drivers told the Uber drivers that they were encroaching into their territory and warned them not to pick up any passengers in that area.
One of the taxi drivers was also heard saying that “Uber is illegal in Sabah”, to the Uber driver, and the drivers were apologetic, and agreed to abide by the warnings from the taxi men.
The Uber drivers were also asked if they had a licence to carry passengers.
The taxi drivers then targeted the passengers, ordering them to leave the cars they had boarded.
The Uber drivers were then seen pleading with the taxi drivers not to harm them, nor their passengers.
The video clips, which were presumably taken by one of the taxi drivers confronting the Uber drivers, ended abruptly but it is not known if there was any violence which ensued.
A local news report quoted Sabah police as saying that there was no police report submitted by any person of a possible threat to their safety from taxi drivers in the city.
Comments on both videos in social media showed mixed reaction from Sabahans, which is similar to most other cities that Uber has launched its services.
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Most people believe that Uber should be allowed to give the alternative service to the public but some have sympathised with the plight of taxi drivers losing their income with the entry of ride-sharing services.