In Local News, Public Transport / By Anthony Lim / 25 April 2016 10:01 am / 30 comments

The Transport Ministry says that as part of the move to regulate ride-sharing services such as Uber and GrabCar, its drivers will be required to obtain a Public Service Vehicle (PSV) licence, Sinar Harian reports.

“We will review, and we will impose similar conditions to Uber and GrabCar as the ones on taxis by the Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD). At the same time, this will also provide healthy competition to taxis aside from Uber and GrabCar being able to operate according to SPAD rules,” deputy transport minister Datuk Ab Aziz Kaprawi said.

Abdul Aziz had previously said that these ride-sharing services will be required to purchase the same commercial insurance as regular taxis, but explained that this will only be implemented later in the year once SPAD obtains public feedback.

He was reiterating transport minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai’s statement earlier in the month that said that the government is studying various issues relating to ride-sharing services, including the necessity for drivers that provide the service to be registered.

Taxi groups have accused SPAD of failing to act against the two ride-sharing services, which they insist have been operating illegally, and the ongoing taxi vs ride-sharing saga has resulted in disgruntled cabbies taking several measures to ensure their voices are heard, and these have included blockade protests.