Dego Ride ban gets Cabinet's nod - Liow

The Cabinet has agreed with the Transport Ministry to ban the e-hailing Dego Ride motorcycle taxi service due to safety concerns.

Its minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said the Cabinet had left it to the ministry to decide on the matter and to explain to the public why the service had to cease.

"We will not allow this service (Dego Ride) to continue and I hope those involved will stop the service," he told reporters after attending the Cabinet meeting, here, today.

Asked whether he was prepared to meet with representatives of the Dego Ride company, Liow said he was open to it but still kept to his stand to ban the service because of the passenger safety factor.

He said so far, no representative of Dego Ride had met up with the Road Transport Department (RTD) after summonses were issued to a number of motorcycle owners found providing the service.

Liow said following this, the company's representatives were also called for investigation but they had so far, not turned up.

Yesterday, the RTD reportedly issued summonses to three motorcycle owners who were allegedly providing Dego Ride service, hence abusing their Motor Vehicle Licence (LKM).

Prior to this, Liow had said that the Dego Ride service provision violated Section 23 of the Road Transport Act 1987 and Sections 16 and 47 of the Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD) Act, and the company involved could face court action.

He said although using motorcycles to ferry passengers could help deal with the traffic congestion problem in the city, it also posed a danger as based on statistics, motorcycle riders contributed to about 62 per cent of fatal road accidents in the country last year. -- BERNAMA