PETALING JAYA,Jan 19: Putrajaya is studying the growing use of private vehicles for delivery services, noting how more people have turned to the gig economy during the Covid-19 pandemic and movement control order.
Transport minister Wee Ka Siong said the transport ministry will be looking into the matter to come up with suitable regulations to ensure that business activities can thrive, but added that this will take some time to finalise.
“For now, part-timers or freelancers who use private vehicles, be they motorcycles or cars, to deliver goods or parcels may continue their activities.
“This decision is to enable them to continue their activities to generate income for themselves during the Covid-19 pandemic,” he said in a statement today.
His aide clarified that this only applied to those using private vehicles for deliveries for their own businesses, adding that it is not related to those working with e-hailing companies.
Wee acknowledged the economic potential benefits the third-party food and goods delivery industry had for Malaysians, adding that it is expected to grow.
He advised self-employed individuals to acquire insurance protection under Socso’s self-employment social security scheme and to abide by traffic rules at all times.
He also said those who are licensed to ferry passengers, such as bus and taxi drivers, may apply for a temporary licence or temporary conversion of their public service vehicles, to enable them to deliver goods instead.
“Those who already own the operator licence, intermediary business licence, or commercial vehicle licence from the Land Public Transport Agency or the Commercial Vehicle Licensing Board in Sabah and Sarawak can apply.
“The rules and application methods for this licence can be obtained from the relevant agencies,” Wee added.
