By Aida Nyan and Abdul Rahim Sabri
SHAH ALAM, May 1 — Behind the rapid growth of the e-hailing sector, workers’ past and present grievances remain unresolved. From service structure issues to welfare concerns, comprehensive solutions are still elusive.
Various challenges burden workers, including safety issues, insurance payments, delivery fares, vehicle maintenance costs, health, and time flexibility.
As such, they are pinning their hopes on establishing the Malaysian Gig Economy Commission (SEGiM), which has often been publicised, to truly materialise, not just remain as a slogan or comforting words.
They are urging for SEGiM's swift formation so their voices can be heard and long-standing problems can be addressed individually.
Failure to resolve issues — even the basic ones — has worsened as more e-hailing services enter the market under different brands. Where there were only a few in the past, there are now 33 e-hailing companies registered under the Land Public Transport Agency (APAD).
Although competition may appear beneficial to consumers, Grab Drivers Malaysia Association president Mohd Azril Ahmat described the situation as further complicating unresolved issues.
In fact, workers have become victims of this competition. They are forced to compete for passengers in a limited and unstable market, resulting in drivers’ hard work being poorly compensated.
“To the public, it is about price competition (choosing the cheapest). But for drivers, it is not practical. In the competition between companies, the ones who suffer are the drivers.
"In the end, we hear of drivers dying by the roadside due to exhaustion. There is great hope of earning money, but the struggle makes drivers feel immense pressure, leading some to collapse (from illness or death),” he said during the Bicara Semasa programme on Media Selangor in conjunction with Labour Day.
A major grievance among workers is the rising cost of vehicle maintenance and having to undergo inspections at the Computerised Vehicle Inspection Centre (Puspakom) at the direction of management companies, or risk being barred from earning a living.
At the same time, companies are compelled to mandate such inspections due to the high number of accidents involving e-hailing drivers. This has also led to a rise in e-hailing and vehicle insurance premiums.
No clear guidelines
Besides having to bear all these costs, workers are also encouraged to contribute to the Self-Employed Social Security Scheme (SKSPS) under the Social Security Organisation (Socso). Though not mandatory, it is an essential safety net due to the high risk of accidents.
To promote this contribution over the past seven years, GDMA also hopes Socso will expand its coverage to include drivers with chronic illnesses, rather than limiting it to accident-related claims.
“Companies already have accident insurance for drivers, but this addition is necessary to give us more security to continue in the e-hailing industry,” Azril said.
He believes the swelling weaknesses in the e-hailing ecosystem can gradually be addressed if SEGiM becomes the regulatory body overseeing the gig economy.
In December last year, the Cabinet proposed SEGiM to strike a balance between the interests of platform providers, workers, consumers, and all related stakeholders.
It is also meant to protect the rights of all parties through policy enforcement, service standard monitoring, and empowerment of self-regulation.
“There are no clear government guidelines for drivers in this sector. That is why SEGiM must be established quickly, so that there is a voice and firm decisions can be made swiftly,” Azril said.
He also expressed concern over some people considering full-time careers in the sector. In his view, this is unwise due to the industry’s uncertainty.
Furthermore, Azril foresees the possibility of declining demand for such services in the future as public transportation continues to improve.
