PSV license will not cause sudden change to the e-hailing fare - Loke

KUALA LUMPUR, July 2 (Bernama) -- The implementation of the policy to oblige all e-hailing drivers to sit for the Public Service Vehicle (PSV) license test will not cause the service fare to change abruptly.

Transport Minister Anthony Loke Siew Fook said this was because the fare for e-hailing services was not set according to ceiling prices, apart from it being based on market demand.

 “I do not see that it will change dramatically. Many say that if we make this regulation the fare will rise. That was what they said, but it does not come true.

“We expect when the e-hailing companies followed this regulation, the fares should be affordable and if they are not competitive, the passengers will not choose their service,” he said at the Minister’s Question Time in the Dewan Rakyat today.

Loke said this when replying to an additional question from Mohd Shahar Abdullah (BN-Paya Besar) on the implementation of obliging e-hailing drivers to take PSV licenses which would cause different prices to the service passengers.

Meanwhile, Loke said 10,151 or 62 percent from 16,338 applicants have passed and are eligible to apply for PSV license as of April 1 to June 30.

“This number is expected to quickly rise by July 12 in line with the introduction of a digital course that has been conducted since 3 June 2019 at the approved training centre,” he said.

He was replying to the original question from Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid (BN-Padang Terap) who wanted to know the mitigation measures taken by the ministry following a statement by Malaysian Grab Drivers Association dated May 14, 2019, which claimed that only 10 to 50 percent of e-hailing drivers passed in each class test.

Meanwhile, Loke, when met by reporters at the Parliament lobby, said the e-hailing driver could indeed pass the PSV test if they followed the courses provided.

He said most of the questions were in logical form and drivers could certainly answer those questions.

“Yesterday, I personally took the test to find out the questions asked and I passed with 82 marks. Out of 60 questions, I can answer 49 questions although I did not attend the course because most are logical questions,” he said.

In another development, commenting on a statement by veteran journalist Datuk A. Kadir Jasin on the proposed merger of the Malaysia Airlines Bhd (MAB) and low-cost carrier AirAsia Group Bhd (AirAsia), Loke said the merger could stabilise MAS but it required mutual consent.

“That was a personal opinion, anybody can give their opinion. As far as MAS and AirAsia are concerned, this is a commercial decision, to be decided by both companies,” he said.

-- BERNAMA