Malaysia legalises e-hailing services as Grab, Uber compete

FILE PHOTO: Commuters wait for a train next to Grab transport booking service app advertisements at a train station in Singapore February 10, 2016. REUTERS/Edgar Su/File Photo

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia's parliament on July 27 passed two bills that will legalise e-hailing services, as ride-hailing firms Grab and Uber Technologies Inc race to expand in the region. 

Grab expects to raise US$2.5bil (RM10.69bil) from investors in a bid to extend its lead over Uber in the region, as major companies aim to tap into South-East Asia's developing economies driven by a young and tech-savvy population.