A viral screenshot showed the ride-hailing giant charging up to 50 per cent more for Mandarin-speaking drivers
The controversy erupted earlier this week when a screenshot went viral on social media, showing that the cost to book a ride with a Mandarin-speaking driver was up to 50 per cent higher than for similar rides without the language requirement.
It provoked outrage in Malaysia, where identity politics and rising ethno-nationalism have deepened mistrust between the Malay majority and the country’s ethnic Chinese and Indian minorities.
In response, the Land Public Transport Agency (Apad) issued a reminder to e-hailing providers that their licensing conditions require booking systems to be “fair and equitable to all drivers”. The agency warned that discrimination against e-hailing drivers was a criminal offence, carrying penalties of up to 200,000 ringgit (US$47,200) in fines and two years’ imprisonment.
Apad, in a statement on Thursday, said it was “committed to ensuring the sustainability of e-hailing services as a fair and inclusive public transportation service that is free from any form of discrimination towards all stakeholders”.
