KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 16 — The Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD) has denied reports that it may change the names of Uber and Grab as part of its plan to regulate ride-hailing services.
A newspaper last week reported of the possible renaming by the commission, while Malay Mail Online published reactions to such a move.
“SPAD wishes to clarify the Taxi Industry Transformation Programme does not feature any proposal to rename e-hailing service providers such as Uber and Grab,” SPAD said in a statement today.
The government last week gave SPAD approval to regulate ride-sharing services after its chief executive, Mohd Azharuddin Mat Sah, presented plans for a revamp to the taxi industry and legalising ride-sharing.
Mohd Azharuddin had reportedly presented 11 initiatives including a proposal to transform the taxi industry by improving the TEKS1M model and the setting up of a special fund for new taxi vehicles, among others.
The news was received angrily by local taxi operators, with the Malaysian Taxi Drivers’ Transformation Association (Pers1m) promising a weeklong strike to protest the legalisation of the two services that taxi drivers want banned.
SPAD will hold a press conference to announce details of the plan later today.
