Grab (formerly known as MyTeksi), Southeast Asia’s leading ride-hailing app, has always taken much pride in being a homegrown brand. Formed primarily to improve the transportation and taxi industry, Grab is still very committed to resolving a key issue Malaysians have long had to contend with, namely safe and reliable transportation.
“As a Malaysian home brand, we are humbled and proud of how we have won the hearts of the people to be SEA’s leading ride hailing app and with the initiatives we have introduced to expand the boundaries of safety. By constantly challenging ourselves, we have been able to step up our game to improve the safety level not just for our passengers but also drivers,” said Jaygan Fu, Country Head of Grab Malaysia.
As part of their dedication to the cause, Fu highlighted some of their efforts the brand has implemented to-date. For instance, Grab drivers can connect to the nearest police station in the event of an emergency with just a touch of a button via the PDRM button on the driver’s app.
Another feature that is readily available on the app is the ‘Share My Ride’, feature which enables passengers to share their journey with friends and family – informing them of their whereabouts or their approximate time of arrival. This feature serves as a live tracker and provides their loved ones with peace of mind knowing that they arrived safely at their destination.
“We spend a lot of time with our ears to the ground listening to our partners (passengers and drivers) to understand what matters most of them and trying to meet their needs,” said Fu. “With that,” he further added, “Grab’s other safety features like a personal accident insurance policy that covers both passengers and drivers, and to top it off, also pioneered a project whereby 100 GrabCar vehicles driven by selected female drivers were equipped with an in-car CCTV camera to enhance the safety of both passengers and drivers.” Following that, Grab is working together with partners to provide discounts to any Grab driver who is keen to install in-car cameras in their car.
Today, eight out of 10 women feel public transport has been much safer since Grab was introduced.
Other initiatives Grab has taken to protect its drivers is to provide training programmes to ensure drivers are able to manage emergency situations such as national disasters and also when their safety is threatened. “Regionally, we are partnering with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies to ensure our drivers are trained in life saving skills
and able to assist during national disasters,” clarified Fu. He went on to say that this is another way the brand is leveraging on its network of drivers to be able to provide assistance in the event of emergencies. As part of the programme, each country is working with their local society to implement respective programmes.
Proud to be Malaysian
In line with the upcoming Malaysia Day celebration, and to remember Grab as a homegrown brand, the brand is inviting Malaysians and other passengers to join in the Malaysia Day celebration. Aptly named ‘Proud to be Malaysian,’ the campaign aims to cultivate a sense of nationalism and patriotism. Inspired by Dr Sam’s timeless song, ‘Saya Anak Malaysia,’ Grab has given the song its own twist, and are surprising and delighting their passengers with a free ride, in exchange for a few lines of Grab’s version.
Lucky passengers who get the ‘Proud to be Malaysian’ cars and are willing to sing will also receive a special Malaysia Day themed goodie bag from Grab.
Here’s how to enjoy a free ‘Proud to be Malaysian’ ride:
Step 1: Download the Grab app from the Apple App Store and/or Google Play.
Step 2: Select the GrabCar icon and enter your Pick-up and Drop-off points.
Step 3: Book the ride. If your car is the ‘Proud To Be Malaysian’ car, you can choose to pay for the ride by singing Grab’s ‘Saya Anak Malaysia’ song!
Step 4: Enjoy your free ride!
For more details about Grab’s safety efforts and the Malaysia Day themed cars, please visit www.grab.com