Indonesia’s push for Grab-GoTo merger driven by politics, analysts say

FILE PHOTO: GrabBike riders wait for passengers outside a commuter train station in Jakarta on June 13, 2018. If Grab and GoTo merged, they would hold a market share of over 91 per cent in Indonesia. - AFP

JAKARTA: Indonesia is pushing for a possible merger between Grab and GoTo, South-East Asia’s two biggest ride-hailing firms, in a move that analysts say is driven more by politics than commercial consideration.

With some seven million ride-hailing drivers forming a powerful and increasingly vocal workforce, President Prabowo Subianto appears keen to bring the sector under tighter control.