PETALING JAYA: Transport Minister Anthony Loke has cautioned against rushing into mandating dashcams with audio recording in e-hailing vehicles and taxis.
Loke said while such a measure may enhance safety, it requires careful consideration and consultation with multiple stakeholders, including the public.
“While it may serve a purpose in terms of ensuring safety, we need to discuss it further, think it through and consult various stakeholders.
“This is because once a dashcam is installed, the data, videos and images captured are kept by the drivers.
“How do we ensure that all of this data is properly deleted?
“So we have to consider this from various angles as we cannot have a knee-jerk reaction to resolve one issue, only to create another problem,” he said.
Loke was speaking after appearing on radio station 988’s Morning Up programme here.
Commenting on Hong Kong’s move to amend its laws to require taxis to install dashcams by early next year, Loke said different countries operate under different conditions.
“Data privacy remains a key priority,” the minister said.
Malaysian E-Hailing Drivers Association president Jose Rizal said from the perspective of long-term protection and industry sustainability, Malaysia needs to adopt a more preventive and systematic approach.
He said the use of safety technology should be seriously considered including the installation of dashcams in e-hailing vehicles and enhanced in-app safety features such as audio or interior recording systems that are activated only during trips.
“These measures are not intended to invade privacy but to provide two-way protection for both passengers and drivers while also supporting transparent and evidence-based investigations.
“However, any move towards making such measures mandatory must be implemented in a phased and holistic manner, taking into account installation costs, personal data protection, user privacy and the allocation of responsibilities between the government, platforms and drivers,” he said.
Jose added that policies should not be formulated hastily only after an incident occurs but should instead be guided by the principles of early prevention, shared accountability and effective enforcement.
“Such an approach will ensure passenger safety is upheld, drivers’ welfare is protected and Malaysia’s e-hailing industry continues to grow in a responsible and sustainable manner,” he said.
