Grab Extends Its Network To Empower More Townships

Grab has kicked off its next round of expansion which extends its network to more rural cities and townships in the Southern and Northern regions of Malaysia. The expansion is part of Grab’s objective to empower more smaller townships by creating opportunities for local businesses and gig workers and also to cater to the daily needs of more Malaysians.

At the Desamall@Mersing launch, officiated by Minister of Rural Development, Yang Berhormat, Datuk Dr. Hj. Abd Latiff Ahmad, Grab stated that the expansion includes Mersing and Segamat in the south, and Cameron Highlands, Pantai Remis and Baling in the north.

The expansion plan will see GrabCar made available in Mersing and Segamat from the end September 2020 onwards, followed by GrabFood and GrabMart services (which are 100% cashless with GrabPay) later this year. In the Northern region, Grab will cover places such as Cameron Highlands, Pantai Remis and Baling.

Creating Opportunities with the Digital Economy

“As a proponent of the digital economy, we are proud to bring our technology to these communities to provide Malaysians with more safe, reliable and affordable solutions. At the same time, we are creating more income opportunities across our wide ecosystem of services that includes transport, food and mart especially in the rural areas. With this expansion, we also look forward to working with local councils and partners to further support the economic activities in these areas, so they are empowered to thrive in the digital economy” said Ben Chin, Head of Outer Cities, Grab Malaysia.

At the same time, Grab also extended its “Pakej Pikul Bersama” initiative to include new driver-partners on the platform by providing one-off reimbursements up to RM 120 for their PSV licenses and RM 70 for initial PUSPAKOM vehicle inspections. The “Pakej Pikul Bersama” initiative is designed to help driver-partners get through the regulations process set by the Ministry of Transport.

Enabling Better Livelihoods

Grab’s expansion is in line with the government’s vision for the nation to embrace the digital economy while at the same time provide opportunities to Malaysians through technology. The expansion of GrabFood and GrabMart into these additional locations are to help provide an additional avenue for businesses to expand their customer base.

Grab is aiming to play a bigger role in supporting and creating more income opportunities for Malaysians across the country. Grab plans to work closely with rural entrepreneurs by collaborating on customised promotional campaigns and strategy, helping them to grow their business by tapping on the millions of users in the Grab platform.

Moreover, Grab has taken serious consideration into the welfare of their partners and have implemented a first-of-its-kind benefits programme for Malaysia’s gig economy to help partners across the ecosystem improve their welfare. “We hope that these expansion initiatives will help ensure a fair and inclusive gig economy while realising our nation’s vision for a more robust digital economy in the new normal,” added Ben.

It is hoped that the introduction of the GrabFood and GrabMart services in the coming months will help increase business and income opportunities for all across the country.