The Drivers' Association has called on President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu to hold negotiations with them and address their concerns.

In an interview with the state broadcaster before his departure to Malaysia on Sunday, Muizzu said the public can always consult with him.

However, the Drivers' Association said it had received no reply to two requests to hold a discussion with Muizzu.

"To prove the President's statement true, we call on the President of Maldives to act on the letter sent by this association [requesting consultations with the President]," the Drivers' Association said in a statement.

Responding to nightly protests by young people in Male', Muizzu claimed that the public can share their concerns and complaints with him.

“If you have a concern, a complaint, or an objection, if you want to fix things, you can come to me and talk to me,” he said.

During the presidential election campaign in 2023, Muizzu met with taxi drivers in Male'. His manifesto does not include the introduction of a government taxi service.

However, the government is preparing to launch the service in July, prompting taxi drivers to express concern over their livelihoods.

There are 1,590 officially registered taxis in the city. Some people also offer taxi services through mobile applications without being officially registered.

The government plans to bring 100 electric cars to operate in the Male' region and has estimated an initial investment of MVR 80 million for the project.

Taxi drivers say the government taxi services will cause huge losses to the private sector and have been staging protests in Male'.