GOJEK NOT JUST RIDING PILLION

Founded by Nadiem Makarim, 35, who is now also the chief executive officer of the transportation network and logistic startup company, Gojek is the pride of Indonesia, it is not merely a passenger transport service using motorcycle but much more than that.

In Indonesia, in the first three months of 2019, the Gojek application had been downloaded more than 142 million times, with more than two million share partner drivers.

In 2018, Gojek also recorded more than US$9 billion gross transaction value (GTV) in all countries of operation, making it the biggest consumer technology group in South East Asia based on GTV.

Gojek also operates in Singapore, Philippines, Thailand (known as GET) and Vietnam (known as GoViet).

Set up in 2010, Gojek offered various services such as GoRide (motorcycle transportation service), Go Car (car transportation such as GrabCar), GoFood (food delivery), GoBlueBird (taxi service), GoBills (payment of current bills), GoMart (purchasing goods at supermarket), GoLaundry (dhoby service), GoAuto (vehicle repair service) and many more.

All the services used an online application involving two million share partner drivers currently (two million job opportunities as Gojek drivers for Indonesian nationals).

Recently, Minister of Youth and Sports Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman proposed the introduction of the motorcycle taxi service or more well-known as Gojek, which prompted a polemic.

Surely, it focused on the issue of the safety of passengers as pillion riders when the percentage of mishaps involving motorcycle in Malaysia is worrying.

In Indonesia, Gojek also co-operated with the Transport Ministry to hold safety riding workshops specifically for its share partner drivers.

The number 118 regulation of the Indonesian Transport Ministry for 2018 also stipulated that rental transportations (based on applications) must provide insurance coverage to passengers from accident risks.

No accurate statistics on the number of mishaps involving Gojek motorcycles in Jakarta was available but motorcycle accidents compared to other vehicles was the highest in Indonesia.

In 2018, there were over 5,400 motorcycle mishaps in Jakarta, involving 524 deaths.

In Jakarta, riding pillion on Gojek motorcycles was normal in the city with over 10 million population which experienced a traffic congestion three times that of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Everyday, it is routine and normal to see Gojek pillion riders in office attire with coat and ties, and women pillion riders on Gojek motorcycles with men riders.

It is not a major issue in Jakarta when women used the Gojek service ridden by ‘’cowok’’ (men).

‘’There is no such thing as having affairs when ferrying women, indeed, am I not looking for a livelihood for my family?’’ said Asep Purwo, 27, who had been a Gojek rider for the past two years.– BERNAMA