PUTRAJAYA: The Cabinet today has allowed Indonesia's popular motorcycle e-hailing service, Gojek, to operate here.
Entrepreneur Development Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Redzuan Yusof, who was present at the Cabinet meeting earlier, however, said specific legislation on governing the e-hailing service have yet to be discussed or finalised.
“In principle, the Cabinet today has given Gojek the green light to operate here.
“The Youth and Sports Ministry and the Transport Ministry have been tasked to discuss in detail on developing Gojek’s services in the country in terms of rules and laws and where it should be allowed to operate,” he told reporters today.
Redzuan also said discussions between the ministries would also allow more opportunities and laws to facilitate youths’ participation in the country’s economy.
“This is also to make sure that they don’t breach existing or new laws. The two ministries will study all these aspects and bring to the Cabinet again for approval.”
Redzuan also expected for Gojek to begin its operations here within two months following Cabinet approval.
“It is not very difficult to introduce Gojek here because there are already several laws in place (to monitor the operation) including geofencing.
“(For example) Gojek (riders) also can't be allowed to ply on highways, which can be dangerous in terms of safety. This must be studied in detail.”
Youth and Sports Minister Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman had recently expressed intention to bring Gojek to Malaysia, saying that the motorcycle e-hailing service would create hundreds of thousands of job opportunities for motorcyclists in the country.
Gojek, an Indonesian-based company had launched its operations in Vietnam, Thailand, and Singapore.
It also had identified Malaysia, Myanmar and Cambodia as its next expansion target.
Earlier Redzuan had launched the Tekun Mart Mobile, a mobile mart service which sells household items that were cheaper by 10 to 15 per cent than the market price.
He said this initiative was another effort by the ministry to reduce the current high cost of living.
The mobile mart service had started operations in Putrajaya, Bangi, Serdang, Kajang and several areas in Kuala Lumpur, and will be further expanded to other states.
On a separate matter, Mohd Redzuan said he would be the “last person” to ‘bodek’ (currying favour) with Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
This was in response to an allegation by Rembau PKR division chief Badrul Hisham Shaharin who claimed that Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department, Fuziah Salleh had allegedly named several ministers found to have been brown-nosing the prime minister over issues concerning the rare earth plant owned by Australian miner Lynas.
“The Cabinet’s decision on the matter (Lynas) has been agreed upon by all and it is final. I’m a minister who doesn’t brown nose anyone including the prime minister. I only give constructive criticism,” Redzuan said.