PETALING JAYA: The Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD) must be blamed for the latest attack on a Uber driver at KL Sentral on Monday, says Big Blue Taxi Services Founder and Adviser Shamsubahrin Ismail.

Speaking to FMT, Shamsubahrin pointed out that the hazy legality surrounding the ride-hailing app had infuriated taxi drivers as many depended on the job to support their families.

“SPAD is to be blamed. Obviously, everybody is angry because illegal drivers are picking up passengers and making money.

“The taxi drivers are legal and their rice bowl has been hit.”

However, Shamsubahrin did not condone violence against the ride-hailing app drivers.

“I’m not supporting what the other taxi drivers are doing to Uber drivers, but the thing is what Uber drivers are doing now is criminal and wrong.”

The outspoken critic against ride-hailing apps also pointed out that the major problem behind this issue is SPAD’s refusal to declare Uber’s legality.

“The more SPAD doesn’t want to make an announcement, the more people will drive Uber thinking it’s legal.

“SPAD has to come forward and make an official announcement. Tell the people to stop driving Uber for the time being.”

Earlier this week, more than 50 taxi drivers were reported to have attacked an Iranian couple and a Uber driver at KL Sentral.

However, police said only one taxi driver was involved and picked up a suspect in Batu Caves last night. Police denied an Iranian tourist was injured or that the windscreen of the Uber car was smashed.

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Sessions Court judge Rozilah Salleh meted out a total of 37 years and four strokes of the cane over five counts of cheating, and a total 36 years and six months for 17 count of money laundering.

But the judge said that the sentences will run concurrently.

“The jail sentence for Section 417 and Section 420 of the Penal Code and also the AMLATFA (Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorism Financing Act) will be carried out concurrently,” she said this afternoon, having delivered a guilty verdict this morning after finding the prosecution had proven its case beyond reasonable doubt.

A concurrent jail sentence means that Shamsubahrin would only be imprisoned for the maximum term that was imposed by Rozilah, which is eight years.

The judge also imposed a penalty of RM611,895.94 with the payment deadline expiring in three months’ time.

She allowed Shamsubahrin to be released on bail with a guarantor with another RM50,000 to be paid by noon tomorrow, on top of the existing bail amount of RM300,000 that was already paid.

Hasnal Rezua Merican, one of the lawyers for Shamsubahrin, confirmed that his client will appeal against the Sessions Court’s decision.

The prosecution was represented by Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) prosecutor Datuk Abdul Razak Musa and government lawyer Robert Pasang Alam for the cheating and money laundering cases respectively.

Shamsubahrin was charged on December 30, 2011, with five counts of cheating Mohamad Salleh of RM1.75 million.

According to the charge, the businessman had allegedly misled Mohamad into paying him a consultancy fee of RM2.75 million after telling the victim that he had been asked by former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad to offer advisory services.

He was also charged on June 18, 2012, with 17 counts of money laundering.

NFCorp was previously given a RM250 million federal loan for a cattle farming project, the National Feedlot Centre, that later featured in the Auditor-General’s annual report for 2010 over irregularities found.