Journalism @ it's best!

Check this out... From one of the 2 National Malaysian newspapers.

WOI! You think it's easy being a taxi driver, ah?
2007 New Straits Times Press (Malaysia) Berhad.

You think anyone grows up with an ambition to drive a taxi? Oh yeah, sure, got parents out there say to their kid: "Son, I want you to be a taxi driver when you grow up. It is a noble profession. Promise me you won't disappoint your mother and me by becoming an accountant."
TD
So how about some sympathy for us taxi drivers? See how we have to work. Would you want to drive the cars we drive? For us, the Proton Saga is our means of livelihood. For you, it's a punchline. Oh, so you want to complain the windows can't open and the air-con doesn't work. What about me? I have to sit in this thing all day!
Go ahead. Call LPKP. There's the number. Call! Make report. See if I care. Their air-con also not working, and if their windows could open they'd all jump out.
We are completely unappreciated for the service we provide. Of course, you don't want to drive your own car in this mess. See how much you paid for it. You want some pride and satisfaction from owning and driving your car, right? Well, you're not going to get it in KL at 1pm on a Saturday. Look at your paintjob. Look at mine. Which one of us would hurt more if we had a scrape? I'll give you a hint: Not me.
Why should I care? It's not even my car. It belongs to the company. I rent it from them for RM40 a day. I have to make 10 trips just to cover the rent. They might let me have it after seven years, but by then I'll have to pay a scrap dealer to tow it away.
I've been trying to get a permit for myself, but you know how it is. The LPKP boss said if they gave out permits to individual drivers, we'd just do as we please and work when we like. Maybe some days we wouldn't drive at all. Well, maybe we wouldn't. Maybe I'd just like to sit quietly at home and watch my children starve to death.
But I tell you, if this were my own taxi it wouldn't smell of urine and vomit.
Maybe if you didn't have a car you'd appreciate us more. It's either us or the bus, then. Heh, heh. Some choice, huh? Sure, now got LRT and Putra and KTM Komuter, but to get to their stations you still need us or the bus. If you don't mind waiting, wait for the bus. They're better now than before, or so I'm told. They're still pau to me.
Or you could try to flag me down. If I'm in the mood, I might pull over for you. Just don't give me any lip about the fare. See that number on this meter? It says "002.00". That means two ringgit. TWO! I dare you, go into that 7-Eleven over there and see what you can get for RM2. Don't bother, I'll tell you. A packet of kacang. Peanuts, that's what RM2 is! And not even a drink to wash them down with.
A taxi ride costs more in Bangalore, Beijing and Budapest than here. If I could make what London cabbies charge, I'd retire to Country Heights and spend the rest of my life writing letters to the editor protesting the killing of monkeys and pigs. Ah, a 50-ringgit flagfall! That would be the good life.
But nooooo, all we're asking for is a four-ringgit flagfall, bringing us to 30 per cent cheaper than Hong Kong, so I can have a drink of water with my kacang, and all hell's breaking loose on our heads. A 100 per cent rise, they protest! Daylight robbery! Look here, 100 per cent of nothing is...? Correct! How about a little perspective on this issue?
Oh, but we don't deserve it, you say. We're a bunch of crooks. We don't use meters. We haggle. We're rude and smelly. (Like you wouldn't be if you did what we do.) We rip off tourists. (Look, if you-all didn't tell them, would they know? I triple my fare also these Arabs think it's cheap. Come on, show some solidarity. We fellow Malaysians should help each other. It's good for national unity. Close one eye, lah.)
Besides, you won't let us charge more legitimately, so what does anyone expect? Don't want to upset the voters, izzit? Excuse me, we're voters, too. Why isn't anyone fishing for my vote? Don't need it, izzit? So don't mind me if I don't bother with your legislation.
Oh you poortings, you can't afford it, izzit? Yes, I understand what it's like to have no money. I understand you have no alternatives between us and the bus. I understand life sucks. This is a world of suffering. Why do you suppose I have so much religious iconography stuck to my dashboard, members of certain communities won't even get into my cab?
Oh, I know suffering. And I'll make sure when you get into my cab, so will you. But it'll be up to me whether you get in or not, savvy? Leaving you standing by the roadside in the rain is my prerogative. Determining my own destiny by screwing up yours is the last shred of human dignity I have.
I have to exercise discretion, you understand. We both know there are some seriously psychotic people out there waiting for taxis. One time, I decided to ignore this frantically waving foreigner (he must have been a foreigner because he was, like, eight feet tall and wearing a hat) and boy did he get mad. He came running out into the road and tried to kick my car! I had to swerve to avoid him. Nearly caused an accident.
Oh. That was you, wazzit? Wow. What a small world. Heh, heh. Sorry, ah, uncle. What to do, life is so hard.

Best things abt this article:
1. It's not even in the 'opinion' section. It's in >>Prime News
2. It's quite a respectable newspaper. Think Straits Times in Singapore.
3. The editors actually allowed it to be published!