Uber tech confirms KWAP's investment

Uber Technologies Inc has confirmed it received an investment from Kumpulan Wang Persaraan (Diperbadankan) (KWAP), Malaysia’s public-sector pension fund.

Uber's Chief Executive Chief Executive Officer (CEO)/Co-Founder, Travis Kalanick, said the company was delighted about the investment from one of the biggest pension funds in South-East Asia.

"Malaysia has demonstrated its forward-looking position in embracing new technology to help solve transportation challenges and create more economic opportunities," he said in a statement today.

KWAP's CEO, Datuk Wan Kamaruzaman Wan Ahmad, said the investment was part of its efforts to become a diversified global investor.

"Uber is an exciting company that is changing the way the world moves, and we believe ride-sharing has huge potential to transform the future of mobility," he said.

Uber, which was launched in Malaysia in January 2014, currently operates in Kuala Lumpur, Johor Bahru, Penang, Ipoh, Kota Kinabalu and Kuching.

The investment is KWAP’s first direct investment in a foreign company.