On Aug 19, Youth and Sports Minister Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman posted a video clip on Twitter that he has arranged for Gojek founder Nadiem Makarim to meet up with Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Transport Minister Anthony Loke.
This prompted me to write “Re-introducing bike-hailing service will benefit the B40 group”, which was published on Aug 21, just before Entrepreneur Development Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Redzuan Yusof announced that the Cabinet had agreed in principle for motorcycle e-hailing to be made available in the country.
Next day, the Transport Minister was reported to have said, “The Cabinet instructed the ministry to prepare and review the legal framework on how the service can be implemented.
It does not mean we can provide the service immediately, and this approval is not for Gojek, but for motorcycle ride-hailing. So, once the framework is in the place, and the approach is finalised, we will open it up for registration and any company can come in. This is what I want to explain.”
But objections against Syed Saddiq, Gojek and ride-hailing came fast and furious, with many quoting alarming statistics of injuries and death involving motorcyclists and pillion riders.
While road safety experts and concerned citizens are understandably apprehensive, maintaining status quo is also not acceptable, as lack of enforcement and ineffective road safety campaigns over the years have only produced dismal results.
We should not resign ourselves to the fact that many motorcyclists would remain reckless on our roads. While it is true that persuasion is unlikely to change mindsets overnight and old habits die hard, a difference can still be made by using technology.
While diehards will continue with their objections regardless of whatever new measures implemented, most people could be deterred when they know they are being watched or under surveillance, as their behaviour and actions may be recorded and punishable by law.
Like many other inventions, motorcycles per se are neither good nor bad. They cut both ways. Like many other issues, there are always two sides to a coin, with detractors continuing to disparage as long as they focus on the negative.
Mankind’s progress has always been held back or kept in check until a courageous few took a leap of faith and proved the soothsayers wrong. But today, a new god has emerged in the form of mighty data, which is the new currency.
Using mobile app for a variety of services including e-hailing, Gojek is now valued at US$10 billion (RM42.17 billion), and Grab US$15 billion (RM63.26 billion).
Grab started as a humble taxi app in 2012 until Uber entered the Malaysian market in 2014 and snatched away its customers by offering rates much lower than taxi fares and using private cars.
Instead of backing down, MyTeksi took the bull by the horns by morphing into Grab and gave Uber a run for the money, with the latter exiting the Southeast Asian market in 2018.
But it is an open market. As of July 25, the Land Public Transport Agency (Apad) had approved 31 e-hailing companies to provide e-hailing service in Malaysia. And once motorbikes are allowed, they could be included as additional option in the e-hailing app.
As such, there is no question of any company, local or foreign including Gojek, being given exclusive rights to operate motorbike taxis in this country.
Just like taxi and bus drivers are required to obtain a public service vehicle (PSV) licence, drivers using private cars to pick up fare-paying passengers through e-hailing must also possess a PSV licence.
Similarly, those driving goods vehicles such as lorries and cargo vans are required to obtain a Goods Driving Licence (GDL), motorcyclists providing parcel and food delivery services should also have GDL.
The GDL and PSV licences can help to control operations of commercial motorbikes, such as not parking indiscriminately on pavements and blocking pedestrian walkways, or motorcyclists swarming at the exits of shopping malls, train or bus stations.
Undoubtedly, many safety aspects must be put in place before ride-hailing kicks off in Malaysia, such as not allowing riders to accept the next booking before finishing one, otherwise they will keep looking at the phone mounted in front of them.
As it is, many e-hailing drivers are distracted by the phone, which is also used for navigation and accept bookings. In any case, many details need to be ironed out, but we will have a head start with valuable input by Gojek.
The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the New Sarawak Tribune.
