Youth and Sports Minister Syed Saddiq’s move to introduce GoJek in Malaysia has been met with mixed responses. Similar in concept to Grab, Gojek makes use of motorcycles to provide transportation and deliver food, among other services.
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Those who welcomed the idea said the service would provide an instant solution to a number of problems, namely youth employment opportunities, reduced travel time and deficient public transportation.
Tak payah bawak gojek ke Malaysia, we have a high number of road accidents involving motorcycles & now we want to start a passenger service on it? We still see some motorcyclists who don't wear helmets, it's going to be a major road safety issue, just improve public transport
— Azrie (@azrie_esp) August 21, 2019
On the other hand, netizens who opposed the idea cited safety as the main concern. Accidents in Malaysia happen frequently, often due to reckless drivers, and road users fear the Gojek may simply contribute and elevate the problem.
Refuting the need for Gojek, there are also people who suggest enhancing the public transportation system we currently have. While there are some who say that increasing the number of trains will help with transportation, there were yet others who pointed out that we should aim to make existing public transport safer and more accessible first.
Having #GoJek in Malaysia is honestly a terrible idea. @SyedSaddiq just take drive around KL (not being chauffeured around) during peak hours and see how motorcyclists behave (read: thugs)
— Jeff Sandhu (@JeffSandhu) August 22, 2019
Adding motorcycles on the road is kinda the opposite of trying to be a developed nation.
At the moment, passenger volume on our MRTs are still below target. After the subsidised travel passes introduced this year, Prasarana Malaysia Berhad told the Malay Mail, they saw an increase of 40 per cent year-on-year for MRT ridership. The underusage of this facility - which can service up to half a million riders daily, simply means that there is still plenty of potential for it. Is public transportation a good alternative for Gojek? What are your thoughts?
By: Celestine Foo
