Stern action against ehailing companies without valid licence, warns Dr Wee

PETALING JAYA: Stern action will be taken against individuals operating ehailing service without valid licence (LPP), said Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong.

The Transport Minister said any operator without a valid LPP was liable to a fine of not more than RM500,000 or jail of not more than three years or both if convicted.

“It has come to the ministry’s attention that a company operating ehailing services has failed to comply with criteria in order to renew their LPP as stipulated under the Land Public Transport Act (Act 715).

“Under Section 12A (8) of Act 715, the company has to-date failed to ensure that its ehailing application can display the eVP of drivers or allow passengers to identify the drivers as ordered on their smartphone apps,” said Dr Wee on Facebook on Tuesday (Aug 30).

This, said Dr Wee in essence was a gross violation of necessary compliance to safety and security when using any ehailing app, where due to this the company involved has failed to renew its LPP which lapsed on July 14.

“The Land Public Transport Agency, which issues the LPP to ehailing companies had issued a show-cause letter to the company on Aug 18.

Dr Wee advised drivers associated with such apps to check the validity of any ehailing operators with which they were engaged to avoid any unwanted liability.