KUALA LUMPUR: The move to mandate p-hailing riders to obtain the Goods Driving Licence (GDL) is only creating new problems instead of solving the current ones.

Malaysian Land Transport Association chief activist Kamarudin Mohd Hussain said the announcement made by Transport Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong yesterday failed to offer real solutions to the demands made last Friday by p-hailing riders, who want the government to ensure that their welfare is guaranteed by service provider companies.

"Our members (the riders) have high hopes for the government, especially the Transport Ministry, to regulate the companies that have been oppressing them.

"(But) unfortunately, the ministry is looking towards the financial generation of GDL, making it difficult for our members. 

"The ministry's good intentions to give safety courses to our members could be implemented in other ways rather than requiring them to have a GDL," he said.

"All the conditions and regulations that have already been in place to ensure safety will now be relaxed, (just like what had happened with) the Public Service Vehicle licence.

"What happened in the e-hailing sector will also happen in the p-hailing sector," he said in a statement today.

Kamarudin said he was saddened by Wee's statement, which he described as insensitive to the hopes and demands of p-hailing riders.

"His statement only revolved around creating new rules to regulate p-hailing riders, where our members will (now) be required to have a GDL."

Kamarudin urged the Transport Ministry to learn from its mistakes when past decisions had failed to upgrade the public service industry.

"It is even more unfortunate when the industry players are being oppressed by capitalist companies."

Yesterday, after holding a dialogue with representatives of e-hailing and p-hailing associations, Wee said p-hailing riders would be required to obtain a GDL the amendment of several laws to provide for proper supervision of the service in the country.

He said it was agreed upon during the cabinet meeting on Friday to amend the Road Transport Act 1987 (Act 333), Commercial Vehicles Licensing Board Act 1987 (Act 334), and Land Public Transport Act 2010 (Act 715) for the purpose.