Motorcycle ride-sharing services ‘un-Islamic’, as men and women ride together: Selangor mufti

KUALA LUMPUR — The act of two individuals of opposite genders and without family ties riding on the same motorcycle is an “unIslamic” act, the Selangor mufti Mohd Tamyes Abd Wahid reportedly claimed today.

He said that two male and female individuals who are not mahram — either family members or relatives forbidden from marrying each other — riding together on a motorcycle could lead to accusations, and that it would be better not to have ride-sharing service Gojek to avoid such defamatory accusations.

“Not suitable, male and female who are not [mahram] riding the same motorcycle. Maybe the motorcyclist is male and the passenger is female or vice versa. Why must there be such a situation?

“That situation is clearly not Islamic and not polite. Two who are not [mahram] riding a motorcycle, it is not allowed,” he was quoted as saying by Sinar Harian.

He was commenting on the government’s agreement in principle yesterday for motorcycle ride-sharing services in Malaysia.

The Islamic religious leader was also reported suggesting that the federal government could possibly think of other measures.

Gojek is an Indonesian company that offers popular ride-sharing services on motorcycles in its home country, which has the world’s largest Muslim population. It has also expanded to Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

Gojek may not be the only one that could be eyeing business opportunities in Malaysia, as e-hailing firm Grab today also sought Malaysians’ opinions on if it were to provide motorcycle ride-sharing services which it said it has been providing since 2014 in Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam.

Local firm Dego Ride had in late 2016 pioneered the provision of short motorcycle ride-sharing trips as a transportation solution, although such services was previously rejected by the government. MALAY MAIL