Grab Malaysia faces discrimination backlash over Mandarin-speaking driver option

By Phong Ngo August 10, 2025 | 05:52 pm PT

Grab Malaysia is under fire after introducing a feature that let customers request Mandarin-speaking drivers for a higher fare, a move critics say could lead to discrimination.

The option, offered on GrabCar, allowed customers to choose a driver fluent in Mandarin for a higher fare. Association of Land Public Transport Transformation Association president Nathan Mathivanan said it could disadvantage other drivers.

In a TikTok video cited by Malaysia’s The Rakyat Post, Nathan said he tested the option twice on different devices and was assigned Chinese drivers both times.

"The price is higher and it’s Chinese drivers who get the job. That was just from me," he said. "This is totally called discrimination." He added that passengers who do not speak Malay could change the app’s language to English or use a translation plug-in.

The feature sparked mixed responses online. Some users argued it was an optional service for better communication, while others noted that Mandarin speakers are not necessarily ethnically Chinese. One Grab driver said he is Chinese but does not speak Mandarin, so he was not listed as a Mandarin-fluent driver in the app.

GrabCar in Malaysia. Photo courtesy of Grab Malaysia's Facebook

Some social media users suggested the option targeted Chinese tourists unfamiliar with Malay or English. Others criticized it for creating unfair advantages and limiting opportunities for non-Mandarin-speaking drivers.

"If you start to look for Chinese [language proficiency], it is really limiting the jobs for everyone else," wrote user Nur Hafidz, as quoted by the South China Morning Post. "Chinese locals also can request a Chinese-only Grab driver."

Critics also questioned why similar options were not available for tourists from Indonesia, India, Thailand, or Arab countries.

The Land Public Transport Agency reminded e-hailing providers that booking systems must be "fair and equitable to all drivers" under licensing conditions. It warned that discrimination is a criminal offence, carrying fines of up to 200,000 ringgit (US$47,200) and two years in prison, the South China Morning Post reported.

Grab said the Mandarin-speaking driver option was introduced to cater to a surge in tourist arrivals from China. It defended the feature as "crucial in testing the sustainability and demand among tourists," adding it aimed to introduce support for more languages. The company has paused the pilot for review before considering future roll-outs.