Is it Wrong to Call Poor People Poor?

Is it Wrong to Call Poor People Poor?

Now an esteemed home-grown decacorn, multi-billion dollar ride-hailing giant Gojek used to be rejected at home. Many may remember massive protests by conventional taxi and motorcycle taxi drivers and the furor over Gojek disrupting their business.

Now history repeats itself for Gojek, which currently also operates in Vietnam, Thailand and Singapore. After failing to secure a license to operate in the Philippines earlier this year, Gojek is now seeing public resentment in Malaysia.

A viral video recently showed the founder of Big Blue Taxi Malaysia, Shamsubahrin Ismail, speaking up against Gojek’s plan to enter the country, saying “Gojek services are only for poor people” such as those in Jakarta, Thailand, India and Cambodia.

“These are poor countries, we are a rich country. Our young people are not like Indonesia. If Indonesia’s young people are good they would not go overseas to find jobs. Gojek is only for poor people like in Jakarta,” Shamsubahrin said in a speech recorded on camera just after the Malaysian government gave Gojek the green light to operate in Malaysia.

Shamsubahrin later apologized as Indonesian drivers grouped under the Two-Wheel Action Movement (Garda) laid out a plan for a massive street demonstration in front of the Malaysian Embassy in Jakarta involving thousands of motorcycle taxi drivers.

• Yes, political correctness over facts

• No, no one should apologize for speaking out the truth

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