BATU PAHAT, Oct 9 — The Transport Ministry is coming up with an initiative to assist riders providing food delivery service (p-hailing) obtain a valid driving licence to facilitate their involvement in the sector.

Its Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong said, the matter had been discussed with the Finance Ministry to lighten the burden of those who had lost their jobs or finished schooling to earn a living.

"We understand the situation where the desperation to earn money had forced them to use illegal ways to earn an income and we at the ministry want to help them by giving them an opportunity.

"One way which we could think of is to assist them...who may have financial problem going to a driving institute. For now, we wait for the 2022 budget which will be tabled soon,” he said to reporters here today.

He was commenting on a report about p-hailing riders who do not have a valid driving licence apart from using other people’s identification which was discovered during a Road Transport Department (RTD) operation recently.

Elaborating further, he said p-hailing riders, especially those in the B40 group who are facing certain enforcement cases including unpaid summons could request for discounts from the Transport Ministry.

"We will help those who have arrears to enable them to continue earning a living,” he said.

Earlier, Wee, who is also the Ayer Hitam Member of Parliament, handed out food baskets to 65 p-hailing riders who are active in the Yong Peng and Ayer Hitam area. — Bernama