'Save Uber Malaysia' Petition Started, Urges Regulation Instead Of Strict Crackdown

With the recent crackdown on ride sharing services including Uber and GrabCar in Malaysia, a group known as ‘Uber Supporter Malaysia’ has started an online petition dubbed ‘Save Uber Malaysia’ urging the government to find a solution in regulating these services, which serve as an alternative to the current taxi services provided.

The petition, posted on change.org, highlights Uber’s various pros that include empowering public transport users with a “safe and reliable alternative to one of the most notorious taxi system in the world.” It also states that Uber has created countless jobs while serving the “rakyat” with safe and reliable rides.

In addition, the petition also claims that taxi special interest groups with entrenched interest to defend their current way of doing business have resulted in increased pressure on the government to outlaw such ride sharing services.

Continuing on, the petition says Suruhanjaya Pengangkutan Awam Darat’s (SPAD) move to "crush" Uber will “protect a dated and largely broken taxi system at the expense of the new transportation industry that is bringing real benefits to the ordinary Rakyat – all simply to protect the pocket of one of the worst taxi system in the world.”

In closing, the group says:

We call on our elected representative to take a pragmatic approach to regulating this new, improved alternative to our broken taxi system and not to give in to the voice of the taxi thugs!

The parties which the petition was addressed to include SPAD, Dato' Sri Liow Tiong Lai, Dato' Sri Haji Mohammad Najib bin Tun Haji Abdul Razak, the Prime Minister's Office of Malaysia, Dato' Sri Idris Jala, and the Performance Management & Delivery Unit (PEMANDU).