Bidding system for e-hailing services never approved

Transport Minister Anthony Loke said that his ministry never approved the use of a bidding system by e-hailing services in Malaysia to determine fares.

He has directed the Land Public Transport Agency (APAD) to investigate the system currently being used among e-hailing drivers.

“APAD will look into this, and as far as I know we haven’t approved any such system,” he said.

He said this today after the 78th Road Transport Department Day Anniversary Celebration at the Malaysian Road Transport Academy in Ayer Molek, Melaka.

He was responding to emerging reports of certain e-hailing apps using a bidding system.

The reports, by Bernama, caused concerns among users, suggesting that passengers might end up paying more, which would ultimately benefit the drivers.

JPJandora Papers

Separately, Loke revealed that the report from the special team investigating the claims in the ‘JPJandora Papers’ will be sent to the Ministry of Transport’s secretary-general for examination and further action.

“These classic numbers were previously registered without a transparent and detailed system because, in the 50s and 60s, registrations were done manually, without the use of a computer system or application like MySikap,” he said,

He explained that they had identified several weaknesses, particularly regarding the registration of classic number plates.

“Sometimes when these numbers were registered, it was assumed that no one owned them. However, later on, the real owner would come forward to reclaim the number.

“This raises doubts about our system. To prevent ownership conflicts in the future, we need to tighten and control the registration process,” he said.

The JPJandora Papers allegedly contain lists of classic vehicle number plates since 2007 that are purported to have been recycled, reissued, and registered, and subsequently sold to individuals and companies.