Anthony Loke ‘hangs up’ on two gift phones
THE transport minister walks the talk and says ‘no’ to a gift presented to him after launching a new e-hailing service.
TRANSPORT Minister Anthony Loke Siew Fook rejected a “token of appreciation” presented to him by a local e-hailing company at an event here yesterday.
Loke said he must abide by the government’s rule that no ministers or higher officers shall accept gifts presented by organisers at any event.
He said it was one of Pakatan Harapan’s promises and “he needed to walk the talk”.
“We don’t need any gifts or tokens of appreciation. We walk the talk. I had to reject the gift presented to me because it is worth more than RM500.
“As the new government, we don’t need to be presented with any gifts or tokens. We hope that organisers carrying out events understand this rule,” he said at the launch of Diffride, a new ehailing service provider and homegrown Malaysian brand, in Bukit Bintang here yesterday.
It was understood that Loke rejected two smartphones.
He encouraged traditional taxi drivers to adopt the e-hailing services as the country is progressing.
He said it was important for taxi drivers to accept such services as it could help them in meeting the demands and needs of consumers, and earning more than what they earned as a traditional taxi driver.
He said e-hailing drivers should be supportive in sharing ideas and initiatives to get taxi drivers to adopt the service.
“E-hailing and taxi companies have to abide by the new regulations within one year. That is a way forward to help taxi drivers to adopt the e-hailing services.
“Incentives will be given to the traditional taxi drivers, such as giving them individual permits to operate the service as well as help them in terms of financial incentives,” he said.
Loke said the ministry had “softened” the regulations for taxi companies where each taxi had to go through car inspection only once a year.
Previously, he said, taxi drivers were required to send their cars for inspection six times a year.
“We want inspections to be standardised with the e-hailing services where it is done once a year.”
There are more than 300,000 e-hailing drivers nationwide. Some 70,000 of them are registered with the Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD).
Present were Diffride chief executive officer Hannah Yong and SPAD chief executive officer Mohd Azharuddin Mat Sah.
On Diffride, Yong said the company was targeting at least 6,000 drivers to register with the company by end of the year.
She said the drivers were required to pay Diffride a flat fee of RM5 daily, but they will receive clean revenue from accepting rides.
She said the company would expand its service nationwide.
“Our mission is to provide a fair and innovative e-hailing service to the people so that everyone can enjoy a great ride.”