Checks by FMT at several locations in the Klang Valley found that riders were still hard at work picking up and sending orders despite the 24-hour boycott of p-hailing apps.
One rider, who wanted to be known as Alif, said he was not joining the strike as he was expecting it to fail.
The 31-year-old said riders had held a similar large-scale boycott in 2019 with little or no effect.
“These strikes have no meaning if vendors and customers do not take part as well. If there’s a boycott but it’s just the riders, then nothing will happen.
“Today, we’re working as usual because we have wives and children to look after. If not, there won’t be food on the table,” he told FMT.
Another rider, 24-year-old Iman Azmi, said the strike had no impact because some riders, especially new ones, will still be picking up orders and making deliveries.
“Those who are boycotting are the ‘oldies’, but the new riders will find a way to make some money,” he said, adding that he has worked as a p-hailing rider for two years.
Alif Irfan, 25, said similar protests had been conducted in the past, but no action was taken, lamenting that riders still earned the same amount of money.
He expected the strike dubbed the “Food Delivery Blackout” to draw a lacklustre response from riders because it has not been effective previously.
Over the past week, “Off One Day” and “Food Delivery Blackout” posters were shared on social media sites over the planned protest. The posters carried Grab and foodpanda logos.
In response to claims of poor pay for these riders, foodpanda is said to have announced a three-day bonus from today for riders who take part in a “flexi bonus” programme during peak hours.
Meanwhile, New Straits Times reported that organisers of the boycott had called for riders to gather at 10 malls, including Sunway Pyramid and 1 Utama, at around 4pm before heading to Grab’s headquarters in convoys.
They will reportedly be handing over a memorandum before dispersing.
Dang Wangi police said the cops were keeping a close eye on the matter, with personnel deployed at all 10 locations in anticipation of the protests.
Separately, PKR Youth chief Adam Adli called for p-hailing firms to meet with their riders to resolve the issues that have been raised.
In a press conference, he said the firms needed to take heed of the riders’ concerns, which included the lack of social protection and insufficient pay.