PUTRAJAYA – About 50 p-hailing service riders gathered outside the Transport Ministry today to submit a memorandum on their grievances, falling short of the 10,000 protesters that the associations had hoped to assemble.
Mohd Ali Nafiah, a representative of the riders, handed over the memorandum to the ministry’s Deputy Secretary-General for Management Nor Fuad Abdul Hamid, outside the latter’s headquarters this afternoon.
Speaking to reporters, Ali claimed that the welfare of the riders had been neglected since new rates were enforced by a major p-hailing operator last month.
“We are grateful to the ministry and want to emphasise that we are not asking for more but only demanding that the payment rate be returned to the original,” he said.
The “Road to Putrajaya” rally today, which aims to reinstate the previous basic rate for GrabFood riders, had earlier targeted the gathering of 10,000 riders.
Also present was Malaysian Trades Union Congress secretary-general Kamarul Baharin Mansor.
Ali further highlighted the reduction in the base rate by RM1 from last month, resulting in a reduction in income for the riders.
The protest by p-hailing riders at the Transport Ministry proceeded today despite non-governmental organisations representing them having met with the Human Resources Ministry late last month.
The HR Ministry engaged with NGOs representing p-hailing riders on January 30 to address their concerns over payment structures. The participating NGOs included Persatuan Perpaduan Rakan Penghantar Malaysia (PPRPM) and Persatuan Penghantar P-Hailing Malaysia (Penghantar).
This development follows disruptive blackout campaigns by the associations.
It was reported that the parties attended the inaugural Pro Tem Committee Meeting for Gig Activists (p-hailing). The discussions, responding to the call for the formation of the Malaysian Gig Economy Commission, or Segim, aimed at fostering a balanced dialogue with NGOs.
During the meeting, PPRPM led discussions on key points, including a proposal for a minimum fare. However, the ministry emphasised the autonomy of platforms such as Grab or Foodpanda to determine fares, as well as the freedom of gig workers to decide where and with whom they want to work.
Additionally, senior officials from the ministry highlighted the importance of providing a clear “exit strategy” for gig workers through upskilling opportunities.
At a similar protest last month, Perikatan Nasional’s Machang MP Wan Ahmad Fayhsal Wan Ahmad Kamal’s presence raised suspicions of political motivations, although he denied organising the event and said he had joined at the riders’ insistence.
Penghantar deputy president Abdul Hakim Abdul Rani expressed dissatisfaction with GrabFood’s recent decisions, criticising the company’s actions as “completely irresponsible”.
In response to the protest last month, Grab Malaysia emphasised its commitment to open communication with delivery partners, addressing concerns raised over its new earnings structure implemented on January 16.
The company reported positive outcomes for active partners under the revised structure and announced additional improvements to make incentives more accessible.
Despite Grab’s efforts to address concerns and improve income levels, the protests’ lacklustre turnout indicates challenges in achieving consensus among p-hailing riders, potentially fuelled by political influences and differing perspectives within their representative associations.
Contradictory statements from the leadership of Penghantar also indicated a lack of unity within the association regarding the January 16 blackout protest by Grab delivery riders. – February 16, 2024