‘This doesn’t sound feasible at all’: Netizens clash over Malaysia’s push for cross-border e-hailing

JOHOR BAHRU: Malaysia’s Transport Minister Anthony Loke told parliament that the country is ready to hold discussions with Singapore on legalising cross-border e-hailing between Johor and the city-state, but only if both sides agree.

Loke’s comments, reported by Bernama on Aug 18, came shortly after Malaysian authorities seized four private vehicles suspected of being used illegally for e-hailing. He noted that Singapore has also been enforcing its own rules against Johor drivers entering without proper permits, and stressed that Malaysia was reciprocating.

The minister said that while Putrajaya is keen to explore a “better long-term solution” to improve connectivity across the Causeway, the move cannot be unilateral. He added that he had previously raised the issue with Singapore’s then-Transport Minister Chee Hong Tat, but Singapore had been unwilling to discuss it further at the time.

Singapore’s Land Transport Authority (LTA), in a statement cited by Mothership, confirmed that officials from both countries met on Aug 1 to discuss cross-border services, but reiterated that while they remain open to ideas to ease travel, they currently have “no plan to fully liberalise cross-border point-to-point transport via ride-hail services.”

At present, only the reciprocal Cross Border Taxi Scheme is allowed, which permits up to 200 taxis from each side to ferry passengers between Singapore and Johor, a scheme that remains underutilised.

Read related: LTA clears the air on cross-border e-hailing: Only licensed taxis, not Grab-style services

Frustrations spill online

The announcement reignited a heated online debate, with netizens from both sides of the Causeway weighing in.

For many Malaysians, the issue reflects the frustration of costly and limited options when crossing the border. Some believe Singapore is too protective of its own drivers, prioritising domestic taxi operators at the expense of smoother connectivity.

One Facebook commenter bluntly argued that “Just improve the SG-JB cross-border service. JB taxis can pick up anywhere in JB, but have a few pickup points in SG, and vice versa.” Others dismissed Singapore’s reluctance as being driven by protectionism, saying that Singapore commuters already benefit from Johor’s lower prices in other sectors.

At the same time, some Malaysians also recognised the practical hurdles. “This doesn’t sound feasible at all,” one netizen said, pointing to the complexity of licensing, insurance, and taxation requirements for drivers who would be operating across two jurisdictions.

Read related: ‘If it’s illegal, how can you start an association?’: Netizens weigh in on Malaysian drivers’ push for cross-border ride-hailing

Singaporean concerns

On the Singapore side, comments were sharper and often laced with sarcasm. Many joked about the potential chaos of liberalising cross-border Grab rides, warning of massive jams if thousands of e-hailing vehicles were allowed to flood the Causeway.

“Pay enough tax and we’ll talk about it,” one commenter said, underscoring the sentiment that drivers should not get access to Singapore’s lucrative market without contributing equally to regulatory and tax obligations.

Another Singaporean netizen quipped: “Maybe they should pay $500 entry per day and buy local insurance, then we’ll discuss.” The remark highlights not only the protectionist instinct but also the broader concern that the Singapore government would be forced to subsidise enforcement and insurance liabilities if foreign drivers were allowed free access.

A clash of perspectives

The reactions reflect a deep divide: Malaysians see cross-border e-hailing as a way to improve convenience and affordability, while many Singaporeans view it as an impractical and potentially disruptive idea. This also highlights the issues of mobility and fairness across the Causeway, where differences in currency, wages, and regulations spark these disputes.

For now, the Cross Border Taxi Scheme remains the only approved mechanism that allows these drivers to go back and forth across the Causeway. But with both sides under pressure from commuters and drivers alike, the conversation around cross-border ride-hailing is unlikely to fade anytime soon.

Read also: ‘No bus at all’: Commuters endure long, miserable waits as public transport falls short