M'sia private-hire driver charges up to S$9 for air-con, gets slammed

A private-hire driver in Malaysia was slammed after he apparently put up a sign charging customers extra for air-conditioning.

The photo, which was posted on X, showed the handwritten sign attached to the ceiling of the car.

Depending on the fan speed of the air-conditioning, passengers would be charged RM20 (S$6), RM25 (S$7.50), or RM30 (S$9) respectively.

If they chose not to pay, "basic" air-conditioning would be provided at the front seat, the sign promised.

But this appeared to be simply a set-up of two portable fans strapped to the sun visor.

The sign sparked backlash from online commenters, who demanded for the private-hire platform mentioned in the X post to take action against the driver.

The chief executive officer of the Federation of Malaysian Consumers Associations (FOMCA) also waded into the discussion, calling the attempted side hustle "ridiculous".

"The fare includes all costs, and passengers should not have to pay extra for air-conditioning," he told Malaysia media Sin Chew Daily.

He also called for the matter to be investigated.

In response to the backlash, Grab said it was unable to verify if the driver was indeed affiliated with the company, Sin Chew Daily reported.

It promised to take action if it received more information.

Top image from X