SEREMBAN — The RM1,000 special financial assistance from the Madani Government has brought relief to more than 400 taxi and hire car drivers in Negeri Sembilan, particularly those celebrating Deepavali, by helping them prepare for the festival, Transport Minister Anthony Loke said.

He said the aid would help reduce recipients’ financial burden, allowing them to meet the costs of Deepavali preparations and their families’ daily needs.

“The RM1,000 may not resolve every problem or fully cover vehicle maintenance costs.

“However, I hope the assistance will go some way towards easing their daily expenses, helping them buy groceries, replace tyres or refuel their vehicles so they can continue earning a living.

“I promised earlier that the assistance would be delivered before Deepavali.

“Today, I am handing it over ahead of the festival so that you can put it towards your Deepavali expenses,” he said at a ceremony for taxi, hire car and school bus drivers at the Seremban City Council Hall today.

Loke said the next phase of the assistance would be paid directly into the bank accounts of other eligible recipients nationwide through electronic funds transfer.

He said the Ministry of Transport (MOT) would continue supporting taxi drivers through its transformation programme to keep them competitive in the public transport industry, including by working with Proton to lower the cost of new vehicles and providing financing facilities and rebates to ease their financial burden.

He said more than 100 vehicles had been booked under the programme, which seeks to boost drivers’ earnings by offering advertising space inside vehicles and using apps to connect them with passengers.

In a related development, Loke said the government would continue to issue special vehicle registration number series, typically two to three a year, but had no plans to introduce numbers featuring specific names or words, opting to retain the existing alphanumeric system.