GE: Govt to protect well-being of food delivery riders by regulating service

BATU PAHAT: The government will continue to ensure that the welfare of food couriers or riders (p-hailing) in this country is protected by regulating the service.

Transport Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong said the ministry is currently in the final stage of amending the relevant Act, namely the Road Transport Act, the Land Public Transport Act and the Commercial Vehicle Licensing Board Act for Sabah and Sarawak.

He said with the amendment of the Act from now on those who are involved in p-hailing services, especially food delivery, will be better protected and the company's operators will be regulated by government bodies.

"The Bill to amend the relevant act has been approved but it is now in the final stage to amend the act and we will make sure that the amendments will be successful after being debated later.

"The purpose of the government to amend the act is to enable this service to have a body that is specific to the service that has had some problems before," he told reporters during a greet and meet session with food delivery riders in Yong Peng, here today.

Wee added that the operator and rider need to be registered and have a licence but the mechanism of owning the licence will be simplified.

"We at the ministry level will ensure that this licence issue will be implemented without causing any trouble to any party," he said.

At the same time, the ministry will also ensure that food couriers are also protected with the scheme offered by the Social Security Organisation (Socso).

"The riders or food delivery people's Socso contribution payment this year (2022) through the Self-Employed Social Security Scheme (SKSPS) has been borne by the incumbent Member of Parliament for the Ayer Hitam Parliamentary constituency," said Wee who is the incumbent MP.

-- BERNAMA