PARLIAMENT | The government is a step closer to having the authority to regulate ride sharing services such as Uber and Grab, after two bills were passed in the Dewan Rakyat.

The changes to the Land Public Transport (LPT) Act and the Commercial Vehicles Licensing Board (CVLB) Act both passed with voice votes.

Amendments to the CVLB Act will require e-hailing vehicles to be classified as a public service vehicle, requiring operators to get an intermediation business licence to be issued by the Land Public Transport Commission (Spad).

The CVLB will regulate the operators for Sabah and Sarawak while Spad will do the job in the peninsula.

The licences are renewable but not transferable.

Those hindering e-hailing services will also be fined RM1,000, jailed for no longer than three months or both, the amendments state.

The bill will now go to the Dewan Negara, and if passed will need to be gazetted before coming into force.