Written Reply by Minister for Transport Ong Ye Kung to Parliamentary Question on Take-Up Rate of Point-To-Point Support Package by Private Hire Car Operators

Mr Gan Thiam Poh asked the Minister for Transport

a.     how many private hire car operators have participated in the Point-to-Point Support Package (PPSP); 

b.     what are the amounts disbursed to each of these private hire car operators through the PPSP; and

c.     whether any reasons are offered by private hire car operators who decide not to participate in the PPSP.

Reply by Minister for Transport Ong Ye Kung:

1.     The Point-to-Point Support Package was launched in February this year to help drivers tide over difficult times. In total, the three tranches of the package amounted to more than $300 million. Although it was designed as a Government assistance package for drivers, the taxi and Private Hire Car (PHC) operators have been working with the Government and contributed to the Support Package.

2.     For the first tranche of the Support Package between March and May 2020, three operators – Grab, Gojek and Ryde – contributed more than $20 million in total to match the Government’s assistance for drivers through commission rebates. However, the PHC operators have stopped matching the Government’s assistance in subsequent tranches. The Ministry of Transport do not fault them, because the Support Package was designed as a Government assistance package to start with, and we appreciate their contribution. Instead, the operators have been helping the Government to disburse Special Relief Fund (SRF) payouts to their drivers. As of 30 September, the Government has disbursed about $45 million in SRF payouts to drivers through Grab, $8 million through Gojek and about $60,000 through Ryde.