Grab driver under fire for refusing disabled customer

Grab Malaysia says it is aware of the incident and will reach out to those involved.

Wheelchair-bound S Jeyaraj claims the driver refused to help him get into his car or carry his wheelchair after he booked a Grab ride from the Sri Damansara Sentral MRT station to a Public Bank branch in Sri Damansara. (File pic)

PETALING JAYA:

 A Grab driver has come under fire from a paraplegic passenger who claimed the driver refused to take him due to his disability.

In a video on Facebook, the wheelchair-bound man, S Jeyaraj, said he booked a Grab ride from the Sri Damansara Sentral MRT station to a Public Bank branch in Sri Damansara today.

Upon arrival, the driver did not get out of the car to assist Jeyaraj and asked why he had not booked a larger vehicle, such as a Perodua Bezza.

The driver then asked Jeyaraj’s 12-year-old son to lift his father into the car, but Jeyaraj said that was not possible.

“When my son pushed the wheelchair near his car, the driver, in an arrogant tone, said: ‘Your wheelchair might scratch my car’,” Jeyaraj wrote in the post.

As Jeyaraj tried to get seated by moving his right leg onto the passenger’s seat, he asked whether the driver could carry his wheelchair instead of asking his son to do so, in order to avoid scratching the car.

“He refused. Instead, he started moving the car while my right leg was still in it. Luckily, I didn’t fall or get my leg stuck.

“He pulled a dirty trick by saying he would cancel the job. But instead, he drove the car to the destination where he was supposed to drop me off without actually cancelling the ride. Thankfully, the Grab app asked whether I was in the car – and I said no,” added Jeyaraj.

Jeyaraj called on Grab Malaysia to take immediate action against drivers who refuse to assist disabled customers and to hold them accountable should any incidents occur.

When contacted, Grab Malaysia said it was aware of the incident and would reach out to the parties involved.

“Grab Malaysia takes the safety and dignity of all passengers seriously, including persons with disabilities,” the ride-hailing firm said in a statement.

“Grab remains committed to supporting the communities we serve and to creating a more inclusive and respectful experience for everyone on our platform.”

Grab Malaysia also said that its GrabAssist service, launched on Dec 3, is available to passengers seeking more accessible transport options to and from their homes, care centres, or hospitals. - FMT