PJ councillor urges review of police SOPs involving innocent e-hailing drivers

Summary

• Petaling Jaya councillor Ng Yih Miin urges the government and Home Ministry to review crime procedures involving innocent e-hailing drivers.

• He also calls for e-hailing companies to set up a special unit to provide drivers with legal assistance around the clock.

• This follows the recent arrest of a Grab driver who had no direct connection to their passenger's crime.

A Petaling Jaya councillor called on the government and Home Ministry to review police procedures in connection with crimes involving innocent e-hailing drivers.

Ng Yih Miin also urged e-hailing companies to set up a special unit to provide immediate legal services around the clock to drivers who face police arrest or other legal issues.

He said this was due to a recent arrest of a Grab driver who had no direct connection to the crime of their passenger - a person suspected of stealing firecrackers in Subang, Selangor.

"This case also exposes a larger issue. I have been informed that this is not the first such incident. In fact, many e-hailing drivers have faced similar detention and treatment.

"This is very worrying. The police should be more vigilant and fair in using their power so as not to make the people victims of the situation," the PKR Youth strategy director said in a statement.

Unjustified action

Ng, who is also a lawyer, said he had received a call on the night of April 8, requesting his legal assistance in the matter. The driver was arrested earlier at 10pm on the same day.

The next day, Ng represented the driver at the Shah Alam Magistrate's Court for the remand application proceedings.

He said he was surprised that the police asked for a six-day remand but Ng's argument saw the remand period reduced to two days.

The driver was released this morning, he added.

"The question is, why is there still a need to detain and apply for a near-maximum remand against an individual who is clearly innocent?

"This action is unjustified and can be considered a form of oppression against ordinary citizens," he said.

He said the driver's plight was tragic, as their 90-year-old mother was left alone at their home the entire day.

"The family did not even know about their detention until the next day.

"This situation is very heartbreaking and raises questions about the notification procedure and the rights of detainees," he added.

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