The service will be licensed according to provisions under the respective rules and regulations

pic by RAZAK GHAZALI

THE government is preparing to introduce laws to regulate parcel-hailing services by end of this year as part of the ongoing efforts to legalise Malaysia’s broader ride-hailing industry.

The delivery of parcels via e-hailing services is currently illegal as ride-sharing companies are only allowed to transport passengers, Deputy Transport Minister Hasbi Habibollah told the Dewan Rakyat.

“The ministry is currently preparing legislation for parcel delivery services using motorcycles. We will refer to this service as p-hailing and it will differ from the e-hailing services. The service will be licensed according to provisions under the Land Public Transport Act 2010 and the Commercial Vehicle Licensing Board 1987 in addition to the Road Transportation Act 1987,” he said.

Hasbi was responding to Sim Tze Tzin (Pakatan Harapan-Bayan Baru) who asked the minister to state the number of Malaysians involved in the gig economy for the year 2018, 2019 and 2020.

He said the proposed new regulations were not aimed at raising government income or adding bureaucracy for the industry.

“The new rules will help ensure the safety of road users while providing a favourable environment to develop the industry,” he explained.

Among the regulations, he said, were for p-hailing riders to obtain a public service vehicle (PSV) licence, undergo health screening and to have insurance coverage.

“The ministry is in the process of drafting new regulations which are expected to be finalised by the end of this year. The date for the enforcement of the regulations will be announced after regulations for p-hailing services are finalised,” he said.

According to Hasbi, some 200,000 individuals have registered as drivers with 45 e-hailing companies since 2018. However, of the figure, there are about 150,000 active e-hailing drivers, with the majority of them working part-time.

Regulations to manage e-hailing services were introduced in July last year. The law requires drivers to undergo, among others, a driver’s test under the Road Transport Department, Puspakom car inspection, a six-hour driver training session and a medical check-up before they can obtain a PSV.

The previous Pakatan Harapan government was in the process of developing a legal framework and terms for motorcycle taxi services.

Former Deputy Transport Minister Datuk Kamarudin Jaffar said this was to facilitate the government in regulating the service to ensure licensing terms and conditions were in line with regulations enforced on e-hailing services.