inDrive pledges stronger oversight after regulatory setbacks
Speaking at a press conference today, inDrive Malaysia country lead Govind Kumaar said the issue prompted a full-scale internal review, leading to major enhancements in the company's driver onboarding and verification processes.
"There was an administrative issue earlier this year, but we have identified the root cause and worked hand in hand with the Land Public Transport Agency (APAD) to correct it," Govind said.
He added that the company is now focused on reinforcing its internal safeguards to ensure full and ongoing compliance.
inDrive driver operations manager Azlan Anwar also confirmed that all active drivers on the platform are now fully compliant with Malaysian regulatory requirements.
"Today, all our active drivers hold valid e-hailing vehicle permits (EVP), public service vehicle (PSV) licences, and e-hailing insurance.
"Prior to the issue, we now take full corrective measures, including real-time data sharing, enhanced document verification, internal audits, and also streamlined the re-verification process," Azlan said.
In April this year, inDrive was issued a notice of revocation by APAD due to non-compliance related to EVP documentation.
Following its corrective actions, inDrive's operating status was formally reinstated on July 24, with official approval from both APAD and the Transport Ministry to fully resume operations.
Govind also addressed concerns about inDrive's peer-to-peer pricing mechanism, which enables passengers and drivers to mutually agree on fares before a ride begins.
"This system empowers both parties. No driver is forced to accept a fare, and no rider is forced to pay more than they agree to. It's transparent, fair, and beneficial, especially in price-sensitive markets," Govind added.
Looking ahead, inDrive aims to strengthen platform integrity and expand its presence in Malaysia, with a target of 40,000 active drivers by the end of 2025.
In addition, the company plans to roll out a mobility initiative for persons with disabilities to improve inclusivity and accessibility within the local ride-hailing ecosystem.
"We are not only focused on compliance, but also on uplifting service quality through continuous driver development in Malaysia.
"What happened earlier was a lesson. But we have responded by evolving, technologically, operationally, and culturally," Govind said.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Star
3 hours ago
- The Star
YTL-REIT records rise in net property income
In Malaysia, the REIT holds 13 properties with a combined value of RM2.66bil. PETALING JAYA: YTL Hospitality Real Estate Investment Trust (YTL-REIT) expects the hospitality sector to remain resilient in Malaysia, Australia and Japan – the markets where it operates – supported by sustained demand and active portfolio management. 'The group is actively managing its business portfolio and making strategic decisions to protect long-term growth, while ensuring sustainable value creation for its unitholders,' it said in a filing with Bursa Malaysia. This comes as the YTL-REIT posted a 0.9% rise in net property income (NPI) to RM292.07mil for the financial year ended June 30, 2025 (FY25), despite a 1.2% dip in revenue to RM548.3mil. The REIT attributed the performance to additional rental contributions from refurbished AC Hotels in Kuala Lumpur, Penang and Kuantan, as well as a new rental agreement for AC Hotel Ipoh, which commenced in April. Hotel Stripes and the step-up rental from the renewed lease of JW Marriott Hotel – both in Kuala Lumpur – also supported earnings, it said. Overall, its Malaysian portfolio saw steady growth, with revenue up 5.9% to RM163.1mil in FY25 from RM154mil in FY24 and NPI rising 6% to RM154.9mil from RM146.1mil. In contrast, revenue from Australia and Japan fell 4.1% and 2.1% year-on-year to RM358.6mil and RM26.6mil respectively, with NPI dropping 3% to RM116.1mil in Australia and 11.4% to RM21.1mil in Japan. The lower NPI from its Japanese assets was due to repair and maintenance works, YTL-REIT explained. For the fourth quarter ended June 30, 2025 (4Q25), YTL-REIT's topline dipped about 2.4% to RM127.03mil from the RM130.19mil in the previous corresponding quarter. NPI for the quarter under review fell 2.8% to RM63.97mil from RM65.78mil in 4Q24. YTL-REIT declared a final income distribution of 4.8372 sen per unit for the second half of FY25, bringing the total to 7.75 sen – representing a 100.4% payout ratio. This was slightly lower than the 8.27 sen distributed in FY24, which had a 95% payout ratio. Earnings per unit fell to 8.72 sen in FY25 from 10.44 sen in the previous financial year. On a brighter note, the REIT said it recorded a RM124mil revaluation surplus in May 2025, lifting the value of its investment properties to RM5.06bil from RM4.94bil. In Japan, it has two properties valued at RM501mil, while in Australia, it owns three properties worth RM1.9bil. In Malaysia, the REIT holds 13 properties with a combined value of RM2.66bil. Net asset value per unit, however, declined 1.3% to RM1.725 as at end-June, from RM1.746 a year earlier. As at June 30, YTL-REIT managed a portfolio of 4,915 rooms across Malaysia, Australia and Japan. Properties in Malaysia and Japan remain under master lease agreements, while its three Marriott-branded hotels in Australia recorded a stable average occupancy rate of 82.9% in FY25, compared with 82.5% in FY24. Its total borrowings stood at RM2.33bil, with a gearing ratio of 42.8% and an interest cover of 2.1 times. The group has a total asset value of RM5.44bil and the group said it has an estimated debt headroom of RM621mil for potential acquisitions. YTL-REIT closed unchanged yesterday at RM1.13 a unit, valuing the trust at RM1.93bil.
The Star
6 hours ago
- The Star
Russia's FSB targets foreign embassies in Moscow in cyber espionage campaign, Microsoft says
The Russian flag flies on the dome of the Kremlin Senate building in central Moscow, Russia, May 4, 2023. REUTERS/Stringer/File Photo (Reuters) -One of the Russian government's premier cyber espionage units is deploying malware against embassies and diplomatic organizations in Moscow by leveraging local internet service providers, Microsoft said on Thursday. The analysis confirms for the first time that Russia's Federal Security Service, also known as the FSB, is conducting cyber espionage at the ISP level, according to findings from Microsoft Threat Intelligence. 'Microsoft is now certain that this activity is happening within Russian borders,' Microsoft's director of Threat Intelligence Strategy, Sherrod DeGrippo, told Reuters. Microsoft's findings come amid increasing pressure from Washington for Moscow to agree to a ceasefire in its war in Ukraine and pledges from NATO countries to increase defense spending surrounding their own concerns about Russia. The analysis tracks an FSB cyber espionage campaign that in February targeted unnamed foreign embassies in Moscow. The FSB activity facilitates the installation of custom backdoors on targeted computers, which can be used to install additional malware as well as steal data. Reuters could not determine which embassies were targeted. The U.S. State Department did not respond to a request for comment. Russian diplomats did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Moscow routinely denies carrying out cyber espionage operations. The hacking unit linked to the activity, which Microsoft tracks as 'Secret Blizzard' and others categorize as 'Turla,' has been hacking governments, journalists and others for nearly 20 years, the U.S. government said in May 2023 after the FBI disrupted one of its long-running operations. (Reporting by AJ Vicens in Detroit; Editing by Matthew Lewis)
Barnama
7 hours ago
- Barnama
UAE, Malaysia, Rwanda Seek To Boost AI Adoption In Global South
DUBAI, July 31 (Bernama-WAM) -- The UAE, Malaysia, and Rwanda signed a strategic partnership to strengthen coordination to help boost artificial intelligence (AI) adoption in the Global South. Within the framework of the Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution (C4IR) global network, the countries will work together to promote ethics and governance in AI to help societies and economies in the Global South harness its potential, Emirates News Agency (WAM) reported Thursday. Through a signing a Memorandum of Understanding, the countries agreed to expand the scope of the C4IR AI Fellowship Programme, which was initially signed by the UAE and Rwanda at the 2024 World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting in Davos. bootstrap slideshow The knowledge exchange platform was created to connect leaders, innovators, and experts in the AI space. Now, with the addition of Malaysia, the expanded partnership will promote further international cooperation to support sustainable development through AI. The initiative will enable talent exchange, joint initiatives, and coordinated development of responsible AI governance frameworks led by Global South nations, according to WAM. The new agreement was witnessed by Emirati Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy and Remote Work Applications Omar Al Olama and Malaysian Digital Minister, Gobind Singh Deo. Gobind Singh said Malaysia is proud to join forces with the UAE and Rwanda in this visionary initiative to bridge global AI expertise and accelerate digital transformation for a more inclusive and sustainable future. He said this partnership involving Malaysia Centre4IR, C4IR UAE, and C4IR Rwanda reflects their collective goal for a future that is driven by responsible AI innovation.
