Demands Not Met After Meeting With Wee – Penghantar

The meeting between the P-hailing community and transport minister Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong, according to the president of the Malaysian P-Hailing Delivery Riders Association (Penghantar), left them with more questions than answers.

The ten demands of the p-hailing riders according to Zulhelmi Mansor, were not only unmet, but they now feel burdened the proposed changes to the law that includes the requirement for them to hold a goods vehicle licence (GDL) are approved.

“When the minister informed us about the GDL requirement, many of the riders started speaking up because they feel that the main issues should be resolved first before looking at such requirements,” said Zulhelmi when quoted by local Bahasa news daily Utusan Malaysia.

“We asked for one thing, and we got something else,” he adds.

Zulhelmi claimed that two of the ten points brought up during the conference were a floor price for delivery fees and digital maps that differed from the route taken.

Wee called for a meeting with the food delivery riders on Monday after they were due to go on a statewide strike last Thursday in protest of their low wages.

Wee announced during the meeting that in order to safeguard the interests and welfare of riders, the transport ministry will propose amendments to three Acts.

According to him, if the legislation is passed, p-hailing riders will be required to obtain a GDL licence, just like e-hailing drivers are required to have a public service vehicle (PSV) licence.

He said that the changes will lower the GDL eligibility age from 21 to 18, allowing more motorcyclists to enter the market.

He claimed that the GDL requirement would help the ministry maintain track of the number of P-hailing riders.

The proposed change, according to Mohd Firdaus Abdul Hamid, 30, a representative from Thursday's protest, will just put further pressure on the p-hailing community.

“We are already under pressure from (our) companies, and now the government is also doing the same. We do not agree with the proposed amendments,” said Firdaus.

“The reasoning behind it – that the ministry wants to find out the actual number of riders to take care of our welfare – is illogical. P-hailing riders are already required to contribute to the Social Security Organisation’s (Socso) and Self-Employment Social Security Scheme (SKSPS), so why can’t the government find out the actual number of riders from there?”

Penghantar also underlined that the government should focus on the more significant issues, such as the problem of wage rate for delivery riders.

They also want the government to investigate complaints of service providers discriminating against P-hailing shippers.

Wee had also received criticism from online users at the same time. They claimed he did not assist the rakyat and was rather doing the contrary.

Others have expressed concern that the GDL requirement may eventually result in fewer delivery riders and higher delivery fees.