A woman in Petaling Jaya was shocked to find out that her 5-kilometer Grab ride home cost over RM50.50, causing her to vent her frustrations on Twitter.
“Hi @anthonyloke and @MOTMalaysia, this is how much I (paid) on @GrabMY for a 5km journey today after changing (the) location with the agreement of the driver. RM50.50 For 5KM!”
Due to heavy traffic, she requested the driver to take a different route, resulting in a higher fare but the distance was actually just 1km more.
When responding to a netizen’s comment, the woman explained that the initial price for her short trip was RM27.50. However, as soon as she requested the driver to change the destination, the fare jumped up to RM50.50 even if it was just 5km.
25 mins journey
According to a screenshot uploaded by the netizen, the journey began at MRT Phileo Damansara at 5:34pm and ended at Masjid Aminah Al-Muhairi at 6:40pm.
However, she later clarified that they had only booked the ride at around 5:36pm, with the journey commencing around 6:10pm. She claimed that the ride lasted approximately 20 to 25 minutes, with them arriving at their destination at 6:42pm.
Hi @anthonyloke and @MOTMalaysia , this is how much I pay on @GrabMY for a 5km journey today after changing location with the agreement of the driver.
— Emmelynn | Amaline (@emmelynnamal) March 23, 2023
RM50.50 For 5KM! pic.twitter.com/rOwukinCbZ
Mixed reactions
Some netizens chimed in with their thoughts on the situation.
Many speculated that the high fare could be due to either a time factor or a system glitch.
The woman even tagged the Malaysian Transport Minister and Grab, urging them to address the issue. In response, an assistant of the Transport Minister assured her that they would bring up the matter with Grab.
However, netizens were quick to point out that the woman should not blame the driver as she had consented to the detour.
One commented, “Let’s see if there’s a minister who’s willing to entertain the whims of this princess. If you think it’s expensive, then walk or take the bus. You changed the destination during peak hours and then demanded a detour. Ridiculous.”
Another netizen pointed out that it is unreasonable to expect a fare of less than RM30 for a journey that took over an hour. They even praised the driver for agreeing to drive the passenger despite the long journey.