BY: NADHIRA ZA

There has been no comprehensive study done on the toll of e-hailing driving and perhaps the time has come for Malaysia’s Ministry of Transport to collate data on the untold sufferings of these drivers who are now working in an alternative environment.

E-hailing taxis only began prior to and in the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic and, at that time, was seen as a lifeline for many Malaysians who lost their jobs through redundancy or the closure of their workplaces.

But what was seen as a golden opportunity is now turning into a nightmare for many of these e-hailing drivers, some of whom are highly qualified and respected professionals in different fields of endeavor.

These drivers were virtually forced to take up e-hailing because of a dearth of employment opportunities and now many of them complain of the long hours of working which is not reflected in their daily profit taking after deducting expenses.

Moreover, many of them complain of suffering health problems, being separated and unable to be with their families, while having to foot the astronomical cost of living by just driving for many hours in a day.

The Madani government should seriously look into the plight of these e-hailing drivers as they suffer from a number of unfair terms and conditions with the service operators but are nevertheless forced to work because of the necessity to earn a living.

-THE MALAYSIA VOICE

** The views expressed on this opinion is of the writer and not the publisher