He said Putrajaya would impose several conditions for safety purposes, including the requirement that motorcyclists possess a full licence and are above 18 years old.

“They will only be allowed to ferry one passenger at a time, who must also be above 18,” he said in the Dewan Rakyat today.

He was responding to Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad (PH-Setiawangsa) who asked when the pilot project for motorcycle ride-hailing services like Dego Ride and Gojek would begin.

He also asked if the ministry had drafted a legal framework for the services.

Loke said the study, also known as the proof of concept study, would help the government collate data and gauge the levels of demand and acceptance for such services.

It was reported in August that the Cabinet had agreed to introduce motorcycle ride-hailing service Gojek – an Indonesian home-grown giant ride-hailing business – in Malaysia.

This was despite Loke’s announcement last year that Putrajaya did not intend to legalise motorcycle ride-hailing services in the near future, in light of the high number of motorcycle accidents recorded over the years.

In 2017, the government banned local motorcycle ride-hailing service Dego Ride over safety concerns for both drivers and pillion riders.