E-hailing drivers association welcomes govt move to suspend InDrive, Maxim

New Straits Times

2 days ago

ALOR STAR: The Northern e-Hailing Drivers Association (NeHDA) has welcomed the government's decision to suspend the operations of two foreign e-hailing companies, Maxim and InDrive, effective July 24.
Its chairman Zabidi Bahador said the move by the Transport Ministry and the Land Public Transport Agency (Apad) was a critical step towards upholding regulatory compliance within the e-hailing industry.
He said the two companies' failure to adhere to requirements, such as obtaining a Public Service Vehicle (PSV) licence and an E-hailing Vehicle Permit (EVP), had compromised user safety and tarnished the integrity of the local transport sector.
"This decisive action ensures a level playing field for local e-hailing providers and helps safeguard drivers' income through more efficient enforcement on e-hailing operators and driver communities," he said in a statement today.
Zabidi also warned against any reversal of the directive, saying it would undermine the credibility of enforcement agencies and be unfair to local companies that had complied with existing regulations.
"We urge the ministry to remain firm and resist external pressure. Priority must be given to user safety, fairness for local drivers, and upholding the rule of law," he added.
He said that NeHDA remains committed to advocating for a fair, safe, and competitive e-hailing ecosystem for all stakeholders.
On May 9, Transport Minister Anthony Loke said that Russian-based platforms InDrive and Maxim had been ordered to cease operations in Malaysia by July 24 for violating local transport regulations.
The directive followed calls from the Malaysian P-Hailing Delivery Association, which claimed both platforms continued to operate without meeting the requirements of the Land Public Transport Act 2010 (Act 715).