Improve on quality first

PETALING JAYA: Malaysians who rely on ehailing drivers and phailing riders are agreeable to paying more if it benefits these workers directly, but they want services to be improved or, at the very least, maintained for doing so.

Frequent ehailing user, Abdul Rahman Khairuddin, 33, said the service enables him to travel conveniently at an affordable rate.

“A five-minute ride in the city costs me below RM8 currently. It is reasonable considering that some of the places within the Klang Valley are not accessible by public transport.

“I do not mind paying extra for the convenience, say around RM2, or 20% more.

“However, the service should be maintained, if not improved,” the communications officer said.

Cindy Li, 27, said she too would not mind paying extra as long as the riders and drivers adhere to the high standards the companies have promised their customers.

“I use the service to have my food delivered to my doorstep. But often even after giving a high tip some riders would still ask to meet them downstairs instead.

“Once, a rider tricked me into meeting him at the security post to pick up my food, claiming he had recently broken his leg. But when I showed up, he jogged over to hand me the package,” said the auditor, whose apartment management allows delivery to individual units.

“As long as the companies keep to their end of the bargain, I have no issue with paying extra,” she added.

Sarimah Abdul Majid, a regular user of both phailing and ehailing services, said any increment should directly benefit the riders or drivers.

The 34-year-old baker, who sells her goods on an online platform and delivers them through these services, said the fees must be increased accordingly without affecting the sellers.

“If phailing fees are increased, I hope there is no need for us to up our prices as well,” she said.

Sarimah, however, hopes that the new law governing the gig industry will enable the riders to receive fair compensation.

“Hopefully, this new Act will make platform providers more accountable in giving the earnings back to the riders,” she said.

For the upcoming gig workers’ law, Federation of Malaysian Consumer Associations (Fomca) chief executive Saravanan Thambirajah said service providers must communicate price increases transparently and clearly to users.

He said it must be made clear that the additional costs are necessary to ensure fair wages and improved working conditions for these workers.

“In terms of whether Malaysian consumers would accept paying a little more, there is growing awareness of the need for fair labour practices.

“Of course, there will be some resistance but most consumers will likely be supportive if they understand that the higher costs contribute to safer working conditions and fairer wages for gig workers,” he said when contacted.

On ehailing services, Sarava-nan said the fees could sometimes be too high and hard to justify, especially during peak hours, but such instances provide for a competitive market that helps bring down prices.

“There is a need to balance affordable prices for the consumers and a fair compensation for gig workers,” he added.