KOTA KINABALU: A female Uber passenger here was forced to resort to using social media to seek help when her driver allegedly whipped out his genitals while driving yesterday.
The 25-year-old housewife, who was travelling with her infant, was using the Uber service to return home from the Likas Children and Women’s Hospital here.
At some point during the ride, she began posting panicked status updates on her Facebook page, claiming that the driver had exposed and was holding his penis.
Her status went viral and grabbed the attention of many.
In one of her status posts, she wrote:
“Please help!!!! I’m sitting in an Uber (car) and (the) driver is holding his penis next to me!!!! How???? I’m wif my baby.”
This was followed by: “Pls help I’m panic!!! He’s holding his penis” and “I’m shaking (someone) pls help.”
After a pause, the woman updated her post, saying that her friend had helped to report the incident to Uber and that an investigation was being carried out.
The passenger claims that she only realised the driver had taken out his penis when they were driving along the Tanjung Lipat road.
“I had no idea he was holding his penis (at first). (I finally noticed it) when he took it out just a little (while we were near the Likas Masjid and was) rubbing it gently. (When he did it the first and second time), he put his hands on his pants, (so) I thought he was just feeling itchy or his pants/belt was too tight.
“I was so frightened and shaken by the incident that I cried silently, without saying anything. I did post on Facebook and soon texted my husband to ask for help. He did call me and I tried to sound calm, as I didn’t want (the driver) to suspect anything,” she posted.
Meanwhile, district police chief Assistant Commissioner M. Chandra said the passenger lodged a report on the incident at the Luyang police station at 3.53pm yesterday.
According to the report, the passenger noticed that her Uber driver was holding his penis at about 10.30am. She then asked to be dropped at Damai, Luyang and contacted her friends before lodging the report.
“The complainant was very scared and worried that something untoward would happen. The driver did not speak or touch the complainant throughout the journey.
“The driver has come forward to lodge a report and denies the incident. We have recorded a statement from him.”
Chandra also revealed that Uber headquarters has contacted the complainant and further action will be taken.