The government has announced that these services would be regulated under Malaysian law. Details of new terms and how they will be regulated will be announced next week, the chairman of SPAD (the land public , transport commission), Syed Hamid Albar, said on Friday.

Malaysian Taxi Drivers Transformation Association vice-president Kamaruddin Mohd Hussain said safety tests and twice-yearly vehicle inspections by Puspakom should be required, to ensure the safety of the driver, passengers and other road users.

Uber and GrabCar drivers use their own vehicles to provide rides. Taxi-drivers, however, must take a driving licence for public services vehicles, and are required to meet a set of other conditions.

“It will not be long before they realise how difficult and expensive it is to maintain our vehicles,” he said, according to the Malay Mail newspaper.

Klang Valley Taxi Drivers’ Action Committee president Zailani Isa Usuluddin urged SPAD to issue fresh guidelines to Uber and Grab drivers to ensure the safety of passengers and road users.