#GrabBersamaMalaysia: Gig Workers Together With Grab March In Celebration Of National Day  

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 30 (Bernama) -- Continuing last year’s tradition, Grab Malaysia will proudly celebrate the spirit of unity with a 100-member contingent comprising senior management and employees in this year’s National Day parade in Putrajaya tomorrow.

In a statement, Grab said the contingent, led by its Country Operations and Mobility director, Rashid Shukor, is aimed at honouring those driving Malaysia’s digital economy under the spirit of #GrabBersamaMalaysia.

Nearly 200 Grab employees, driver-partners and delivery-partners will also take part in state-level celebrations in Johor Bahru, Kota Kinabalu, Kuantan and Penang.

Grab Malaysia managing director Adelene Foo said this year’s National Day theme, “Malaysia MADANI: Rakyat Disantuni”, not only embodies the nation’s spirit of independence but also empowers Malaysians in their daily lives while supporting their journey toward a better future.

“With our National Day theme, ‘Keranamu Malaysia’, we want to highlight the true heroes behind the platform, our driver- and delivery-partners, along with the teams mapping roads, adapting technology and ensuring the platform works for everyone,” she added.

“On this National Day, we celebrate them and their contributions to Malaysia’s progress,” the statement quoted her.

Ahead of the parade, Grab Group chief executive officer and co-founder Anthony Tan was present in Putrajaya during the full dress rehearsal on Aug 29 to celebrate the spirit of togetherness, cheering on participating drivers and delivery partners - wishing them luck and thanking them for their contributions to the country.

Grab Malaysia highlighted that its Putrajaya parade contingent will feature three persons with disabilities, Niyaz Naathan Vellasamy, Chang Yoon Khim and Teong Siew Queen, who have been earning a living through the platform.

Among Grab’s longest-serving wheelchair-user driver-partners, Niyaz, who has been with the platform for nearly seven years, shared how Grab enabled him to earn an income independently despite many challenges.

“Through Grab, I’ve reached many milestones, including building meaningful connections across communities, exploring new places and, most importantly, achieving financial stability,” he said in the statement.

Meanwhile, Chang Yoon Khim, a father of four, and his wife, both of whom are hearing-impaired, have been supporting their family through Grab for the past seven years, proving that determination can overcome obstacles.

Wheelchair-user and single mother Teong Siew Queen expressed her gratitude for the platform’s fairness, inclusivity and flexible hours that allow her to earn a living.

“In addition to being a Grab driver-partner, I am also a Level 1 International Referee for para powerlifting and often officiate at international competitions. Driving with Grab is the perfect choice as it gives me freedom, independence and the flexibility to manage my schedule with ease,” she said in the statement.

Another inspiring story, Grab noted, comes from delivery-partner Masnizah Marzukir, a single mother of seven who once had to borrow money just to make ends meet.

Grab also highlighted contributors like Shanlee Tan Shamsuri Tan, who serves on the Partner Representative Committee, guiding new driver-partners, and Fun Kheng Yuen from Ipoh, who has helped improve GrabMaps’ accuracy by charting nearly 143,000 points of interest across Peninsular Malaysia while ensuring his own stable income.

To make this year’s National Day celebration more meaningful, Grab said it is setting up a booth in Putrajaya offering lucky draws, exclusive merchandise and free vouchers.

-- BERNAMA