KUALA LUMPUR: The Transport Ministry will introduce a new form of vocational licence for P-hailing riders which is different from the Goods Driving Licence (GDL) required for commercial vehicles.
Its minister Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong said P-hailing riders are not required to undergo the licencing processes similar to the regulation set for heavy vehicles.
He pointed out that the licencing procedures for GDL was very stringent and those who applied for it need to undergo a special course at driving schools or institutions compared with the procedures for vocational licence.
"Those who apply for vocational licence to become P-hailing riders need not go to driving schools or institutions but only required to attend a three-hour induction course that will be conducted online," he said.
He said P-hailing riders will be charged not more than RM10 to register for the licence and will not be compelled to go for vehicle inspection at Puspakom like what is done for commercial vehicles.
"When we register them, they will get a moratorium and need not pay for a year. Through this process, we will have the data of all P-hailing riders," said Wee, who refuted claims that the introduction of the licence would further burdened the riders.
Wee said the vocational licence was aimed at providing a form of recognition to P-hailing riders and also allowing the Transport Ministry to have a record on the number of P-hailing riders currently in operation.
On Aug 8, Wee had said that the cabinet had agreed to amend provisions in the Transport Act 1987 (Act 333), Commercial Vehicles Licencing Board Act 1987 (Act 334) and the Land Public Transport Act 2010 (Act 715).
He said the Transport Ministry was alarmed and concerned when the Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research (MIROS) submitted a report involving research on the behaviour of P-hailing riders that showed 62 per cent of the 16,308 riders stopping at the yellow box or pedestrian crossings.
The research done through Closed Circuit Television recordings on 11 roads in Kuala Lumpur showed 14 per cent of the riders were on their handphone, beat the traffic lights and made illegal 'U' turns while three per cent rode against the traffic flow.
Wee also said earlier, he had a long discussion with several P-hailing representatives led by Umno Youth head Datuk Dr Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki at the Ministry and described it as a "very fruitful engagement."
"They told me all their grouses, especially on ride fares and distances which had many discrepancies that must be justified by the E-hailing Operators."
Wee said the ministry would have a few more engagements with the P-hailing representatives to come up with more comprehensive benefits and better welfare schemes for those involved in this industry.
"With new provisions added to the existing law, we will be able to take care and intervene whenever there is any discrepancy or issue arising related to these P- hailing riders," he said speaking to reporters after officiating the inaugural Rail Technology Expo (RTX 2022) at KL Sentral here.
He said the Ministry would continue to discuss with various parties including associations, P-hailing riders and EHO companies.
Meanwhile, Malaysian P-Hailing Delivery Riders Association (Penghantar) president Zulhelmi Mansor who was also present at the event thanked the minister for his willingness to engage with them.
"We had a two-hour discussion with him, YB Asyraf and they have agreed to cancel the GDL proposal and promised to look into all our grouses," he said.
Zulhelmi said the current development was a great relief for nearly 100,000 riders in the country.
"A new registration system which does not require tedious process like going for tests and checks at Puspakom will be formulated once more discussions have been done with us," he added.