"Do We Want To Go Back To The Old Days?" Najib Asks In Response To Mahathir's Grab Remarks
Najib has called out Mahathir for his plans to review e-hailing services if the opposition wins.
By Katrina Khairul Azman — 30 Apr 2018, 07:56 PM
In a GE14 speech in Langkawi on Saturday, 28 April, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad promised that Pakatan will "review" e-hailing services as "Grab is causing losses for regular taxi drivers"
The 92-year-old Pakatan Harapan candidate for the Langkawi parliamentary seat told the crowd that, "The problem with Grab affects not only Langkawi but the whole of Malaysia."
According to a report by Sinar Harian, Mahathir explained that, "While taxi drivers have all kinds of terms to comply with such as insurance, checks, and qualifications, Grab can be driven by anyone at all. Grab has the advantage because Grab drivers don't have to pay for insurance and abide by such conditions like taxi drivers do."
In the event that the opposition takes over the government, Mahathir promised that, "We will review how we can create a taxi service that is fair to all parties, especially for taxi drivers who drive licensed taxis and have to abide by many rules."
Today, 30 April, Dato' Sri Najib Razak took to his official Facebook account to share his thoughts on the matter.
"In an attempt to gain support from taxi drivers," he wrote, Mahathir is "completely disregarding the benefits of e-hailing for the people."
In his Facebook post, the caretaker prime minister wrote that, "This is yet another evidence of how this nonagenarian refuses to adapt to the times or understand how technological advances benefit Malaysians."
The UMNO President explained that, in his view, the right approach is to incorporate the benefits of e-hailing services as well as assist taxi drivers to embrace new technologies
Najib listed the various efforts that have been carried out by the government to do so, such as the 1Malaysia Taxi Assistance Card, automatic approval for BR1M, TR1MA, personal insurance, and a RM5,000 grant for the purchase of new vehicles to drivers who wish to convert to e-hailing services.
"We also announced that all e-hailing and hire car drivers are required to adhere to the same terms, conditions, and regulations as taxi drivers, in order to create fair and healthy competition."
Najib called Mahathir's plans to review e-hailing services "typical Mahathirism", quipping that "It's either his way or the highway. With tolls."
Using Proton as an example, Najib wrote that instead of becoming "a top multinational carmaker that is profitable," the company "constantly needed Government assistance and taxpayers money to compete."
In ending his Facebook post, the caretaker prime minister posed a question: "Do we want to go back to the old days, or do we want to move forward as a nation to greater heights?"