By Suhaila Shahrul Annuar
SHAH ALAM, 30 Dec 31 — E-hailing workers have expressed excitement at the RM1,000 subsidy provided by the state government, as many frequently face dilapidated and often damaged vehicles that affect their line of work.
Muhammad Isqandar Dzulkarnain Idris, 28, said his motorcycle constantly broke down and caused disruptions to his source of income as an on-call worker, which prompted him to apply for help through the BikeCare-1000 programme.
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Gig worker Muhammad Isqandar Dzulkarnain Idris, 28.[/caption]
"I applied at the beginning of this month. The new motorcycle I purchase will replace my old one, which is now eight years old. You have to replace a broken motorcycle, which costs a lot of money.
"Although many would consider buying a new motorcycle when their old one breaks down, it is not easy to get RM1,000 in the blink of an eye. With these funds I can make the purchase with a downpayment, for which I am very grateful," he told SelangorKini yesterday.
Working in the industry as an on-call worker for the past three years and planning to start a family next year, Muhammad Isqandar said he only paid RM2,900 to acquire a motorcycle worth RM3,900 by utilising the RM1,000 subsidy.
He is one of the 100 beneficiaries of BikeCare-1000, a state government initiative under the Selangor Employee Empowerment Unit (UPPS) which provides a RM1,000 subsidy for the purchase of motorcycles for on-call workers.
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Sales agent and Grab driver Ng Chee Kuang, 27.[/caption]
Ng Chee Kuang, 27, who works as a sales agent, wanted to turn p-hailing into a source of additional side income but had to delay from doing so as he did not own a motorcycle.
"With this assistance, I was finally able to buy a motorcycle. I am married with one child. So, during the day I work as a sales agent and at night I work for Grab to increase my income.
"This initiative is very good and should be continued next year. It would be even better if the quota is increased so more people can benefit," he said.
