PETALING JAYA: Around 300 Grab delivery riders held a peaceful protest outside the company’s headquarters, urging Grab to address various issues.
Their main request is for Grab to restore the previous base fare of RM5 for deliveries within the Klang Valley, which was recently lowered to RM4.
They argue that even the previous RM5 fare was already too low for riders.
Earlier, Persatuan Perpaduan Rakan Penghantar Malaysia also called for government intervention, expressing concerns about Grab’s revamped earnings framework, citing its lack of transparency and very low new rates.
Penghantar representatives met with Grab’s management during the protest. According to the association’s vice-president Abdul Hakim Abdul Rani, the discussions were positive.
Aside from relaying their demands about the base fare for deliveries, Hakim said they also wanted the company to maintain pickup bonuses for riders.
“We have received complaints from fellow Grab delivery riders that some of them have not been receiving the pickup bonus,” he said, adding that they will now wait for Grab’s response to their demands.
Hakim said another protest with more riders next week if their demands aren’t met. Bersatu Youth chief Wan Ahmad Fayhsal Wan Ahmad Kamal, also the Machang MP, joined the protest.
Grab acknowledged the riders’ concerns about the new fare structure and stated they are actively working to address these issues through engagement with the riders.
In a statement, the company said it aims to provide fair and sustainable earning opportunities while investing in promotions and incentives to support deliverymen.
However, it claimed that it observed “a good number of active delivery partners” benefitting from the new fare structure over the past few days.
“They benefit from our incentives during peak hours and receive fairer total compensation for time spent and distance travelled in order to complete the job.”