KINIBIZ The Indonesian government has publicly retracted its stance on banning online ride-hailing services, with the services receiving full support from Indonesian President Joko Widodo as well.

The Indonesian president had tweeted: “Don’t let the people be burdened because of regulations,” adding that “regulations need to be managed”.

Joko has also stated that he will “immediately” summon Indonesia’s Transport Minister Ignatius Jonan for talks on the matter.

GrabTaxi had responded with an acknowledgement that they will comply with local regulations, as GrabBike and GrabCar in Indonesia are run by GrabTaxi Holding Singapore’s local licensee in Indonesia.

“The ride-sharing industry is still in its infancy and we will continue to work with the government and all industry stakeholders to expand the regulatory framework. We believe that it’s our shared objective to make the Indonesian public transportation more efficient, and to enable all Indonesians to commute safely,” GrabTaxi said in a statement.

“We believe that the Transport Ministry’s operating guidelines will consider the interests of drivers and passengers in Indonesia, and will completely support them,” added GrabTaxi, noting that GrabCar and GrabBike already take proactive measures to improve safety for drivers and passengers, in addition to any regulatory requirements.

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