Syed Saddiq clarifies PM statement, says cabinet discussed Foodpanda, not boycott

Updated 4 years ago · Published on 8 Oct 2019 3:02PM · 8 Comments

Youth and Sports Minister Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman says cabinet had discussed Foodpanda and worker welfare in the gig economy during its meeting last week. – The Malaysian Insight pic, October 8, 2019.

THE cabinet did discuss Foodpanda and the strike by some of its riders at its meeting last week, said Youth and Sports Minister Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman.

He said Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s earlier statement that the cabinet did not discuss the matter was in reference to calls to boycott the food delivery service.

“For clarification, the Foodpanda issue was discussed in cabinet last week, so the conclusion was (to form) a committee of three ministers to help deal with issues of the gig economy,” Syed Saddiq said in a statement to a media chat group.

The three ministers concerned are himself, Human Resources Minister M. Kulasegaran and Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Saifuddin Nasution.

The committee’s formation was announced last week in a statement by the Human Resources Ministry. It will look at amending laws to protect workers in the gig economy.

Syed Saddiq was responding to Dr Mahathir, who was asked by reporters today about the government’s intervention in a private business.

This follows Syed Saddiq’s move to take up the cause of Foodpanda delivery riders, who protested the new payment scheme that rewards them according to performance, instead of the previous flat rate of RM4 for every hour worked.

Syed Saddiq had also implied a boycott of Foodpanda when he tweeted last night that the company was “arrogant”, and that workers and consumers should only support corporations that had fair practices.

Dr Mahathir today said Foodpanda was not a government business and the matter was not discussed in the cabinet meeting.

He added that Syed Saddiq’s statement was not the government’s position, and that the minister had “his own reasons” for the statement.

Dr Mahathir did not specify which statement or actual issue he meant, prompting Syed Saddiq to clarify that while the subject of Foodpanda had been discussed by the cabinet, it did not include calls to boycott the food delivery company. – October 8, 2019.

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Comments

  • He is known as U Turn minister. Now twisting minister?

    Posted 4 years ago by Adrian Tan · Reply

  • Very soon he will say I was misquoted..

    Posted 4 years ago by Elyse Gim · Reply

  • One day - he criticises Zakir.
    Next day - he instagrams having a meal with Zakir.

    How to work or effect policy with a u turn kaki?

    Posted 4 years ago by Rock Hensem · Reply

  • Real dumb. Never worked a in his life then became minister

    Posted 4 years ago by Mo Salleh · Reply

  • Reward based on performance not good meh? the more you do, the more you make, right?

    Posted 4 years ago by Gerald Lau · Reply

  • He will be a shooting star, a meteor in politics. Flash! And gone!

    Posted 4 years ago by Tanahair Ku · Reply

    • This was what tun meant when he said melayu pemalas. They dont want to work on incentives, they'd rather get the fix rm4 per hour. Theres a chance to make a lot more money here. And that dumb Syed Saddiq wants to get involved

      Posted 4 years ago by Mo Salleh · Reply