Putrajaya decides against motorcycle e-hailing services due to high road fatalities

 

Putrajaya has decided against introducing motorcycle e-hailing services in Malaysia due to the high number of road fatalities involving motorcycle riders in 2019, Deputy Transport Minister Henry Sum Agong said.

“At this time, the Transport Ministry has no plans to introduce motorcycle e-hailing or motorcycle taxis, after taking into account all sorts of aspects, including the issue of safety and the passengers’ welfare.

“This takes into account the fact that the risk of road fatalities involving motorcycle riders and passengers is very high in Malaysia,” Henry said in the Dewan Rakyat today.

He was responding to Larry Sng (Independent-Julau), who had asked what the ministry’s plans to introduce motorcycle e-hailing services in the country were.

Henry also said the lack of compliance with road regulations among motorcycle users was also an issue that needs to be looked into.

“The ministry will continue looking into the issue to examine all aspects related to this service before any direction about the matter can be considered,” he said.

Sng had appeared dissatisfied with the answer and had pointed out neighbouring countries like Indonesia, which has introduced motorcycle e-hailing services.

“Can the ministry come up with strict guidelines and introduce the service instead of stopping it?” he had asked.

In response, Henry had revealed road fatality statistics from 2019 provided by the police.

He said motorcycle users made up about 64 percent of all road fatalities in 2019.

“Hence, based on these statistics, the government has decided not to introduce (the service),” Henry said.

Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman (Independent-Muar), who was the youth and sports minister under the Pakatan Harapan administration, then pointed out that the Harapan government had approved a six-month trial period for the introduction of motorcycle e-hailing services.

“Was there any increase specifically in terms of road accidents in the motorcycle e-hailing sector (in those six months)?

“If we were to only follow data that has existed since some years ago, it is not sector-specific.

“I hope the minister will reconsider and table clear data showing that in a period of six months, there was a significant increase in road accidents in this sector,” Syed Saddiq urged. - Mkini