Malaysia reviews 20 per cent commission cap for e-hailing platforms
The Transport Ministry said about 170,944 Grab driver-partners had opted into a trial fee structure as of May 31, 2026.
Malaysia’s government is examining the 20 per cent ceiling on e-hailing platform commissions after drivers sought a lower rate, the Transport Ministry said. The Land Public Transport Agency (APAD) will conduct a detailed assessment.
In a written parliamentary response, the ministry said stakeholder consultations and studies would inform the review. Tebrau MP Jimmy Puah Wee Tse had asked about efforts to persuade Grab to cut its commission to improve drivers’ earnings and ensure fairer terms.
The ministry said Grab had proposed a trial fare model called the Grab Service Fee (GSF). It allows commissions to vary across daily trips while keeping the average over a week or month within 20 per cent.
The model factors in distance, location, journey time and real-time travel between a passenger drop-off and the next pick-up. About 170,944 driver-partners had chosen the structure by May 31, 2026.
Under the trial, the ministry recorded average GSF at 18 per cent and effective GSF at 15 per cent. It also reported that participating drivers’ transit-per-minute income had risen continuously by more than 6 per cent since the trial began.
The ministry said Grab provides regular progress updates to it and APAD. The final assessment will also take account of gig worker compensation studies by the Transport Ministry and Human Resources Ministry, which are expected to finish in 2026.
