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Bike-sharing services
AsiaSoutheast Asia

Gojek gets green light for Malaysia test runs despite backlash

  • The six-month, proof-of-concept pilot programme will allow the government and participating firms to gather data and evaluate demand
  • Critics have accused the Malaysian government of relying on ride-hailing services as a substitute for comprehensive infrastructure planning

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Gojek’s impending entry into Malaysia will likely pose the biggest challenge to Grab, which took the lion’s share of the nation’s e-hailing market after it bought Uber’s operations in Southeast Asia last year. photo: AFP
Reuters
Malaysia will allow motorcycle-hailing firms such as Indonesia’s Gojek and local start-up Dego Ride to begin operations on a limited scale from January 2020, Malaysia’s transport minister said on Tuesday, despite criticism of their introduction.
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Gojek’s backers include Alphabet’s Google and Chinese tech companies Tencent and JD.com. Both Gojek and Dego Ride will start operating based on a proof-of-concept basis to measure demand for the service over six months, Anthony Loke Siew Fook said.

“Bike hailing will be an important component in providing a comprehensive public transport system, as a mode for first- and last-mile connectivity,” Loke told parliament.

The pilot project would be limited to the Klang Valley, Malaysia’s most developed region and where the capital Kuala Lumpur is located, although the government would consider expanding it to other areas if there is sufficient demand.

The six-month, proof-of-concept pilot programme will allow the government and participating firms to gather data and evaluate demand, while the government worked on drafting legislation to govern bike-hailing, Loke said.

“Bike-hailing will be subject to similar regulations as laid out for e-hailing,” he said, referring to existing ride-hailing operations by companies such as Grab.
Bike hailing will be an important component in providing a comprehensive public transport system
Anthony Loke Siew Fook

Youth and Sports Minister Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman in August laid out the benefits of allowing Gojek to operate in Malaysia, emphasising the job opportunities and increased support for small businesses.

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