Taxi driver who rammed car into other taxis in Sabah airport passes away

Last month, social media users witnessed a raging taxi driver ramming his car into other taxis waiting in line at the Kota Kinabalu International Airport (KKIA). The taxi driver has now passed away.

The reason for the driver’s passing was not revealed, but KKIA Limousine and Taxi Association president Shamsuddin Mohd Shah told The Star that the driver, surnamed Ng, had a rough life, had health issues and was undergoing dialysis.

He also revealed that Ng was under a lot of mental stress. This was what led to the altercation at the airport on 19-July-2021.

Free Malaysia Today reported that Ng passed out from hypertension moments after the incident and had remained at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital for observation for a few days.

Also read: Taxi driver rams into other taxis in Sabah airport

Ng apparently had no permanent home and slept in community halls as well as in his car. He was estranged from his family so he had no one to turn to either. Shamsuddin said that some members of the association will be attending Ng’s funeral before his cremation on Thursday (12-August-2021).

When asked about the 19-July incident, Shamsuddin told The Star that the victims of the incident did not take action against Ng or claim damages from him. He said that the association understands the problems Ng was facing.

In fact, Shamsuddin highlighted that all taxi drivers are badly affected by the pandemic, not only were they competing with e-hailing drivers, the taxi drivers were also badly affected by the lockdown.

He urged the government to look into the hardships that taxi drivers nationwide are going through as the lockdown has continued for well over a year.