PETALING JAYA: The transport ministry has never authorised e-hailing services in Malaysia to use a bidding system for setting fares.
The minister, Loke Siew Fook, said he has directed the Land Public Transport Agency (Apad) to review the system, which is currently being used by some e-hailing drivers.
“I will ask Apad to look into this matter, but as of now, we have never allowed it,” Loke told reporters after launching the road transport department’s (JPJ) 78th anniversary celebration in Melaka today.
He was asked about action taken following reports that some e-hailing apps were using a bidding system.
This has raised concerns among users, prompting fears of increased fares benefitting drivers at the expense of passengers, as reported by Bernama.
Separately, Loke said a report by a special team investigating allegations contained in the JPJandora Papers relating to the registration of classic vehicle licence plates will be submitted to the JPJ director-general for evaluation and further action.
He said there were some weaknesses identified in the registration process of classic number plates that need to be tightened.
“This is because these numbers were previously registered without a transparent and detailed process as they were registered manually back in the ’50s and ’60s, and not in a computer system or application like MySikap.
“That is why sometimes when these numbers are registered, people think they are not owned by anyone, but later on, the actual owner comes and reclaims the number.
“To ensure that there is no ownership overlap in the future, we will tighten and control the registration process,” he said.
JPJ academies for Sabah and Sarawak
Loke also said the ministry is considering establishing JPJ academies in Sabah and Sarawak as a long-term strategy to ensure that officers in the two states receive adequate training without the need to travel to the peninsula.
He said there are currently 786 JPJ officers in Sabah and 739 in Sarawak.
“We will see if there is a need (for academies in Sabah and Sarawak) but this is still in the planning stage and has not received budget approval.
“However, we have included an application for the construction of the academies in the 12th Malaysia Plan, so we will wait for the decision,” he said.
