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COMMENT | I am looking forward to Gojek, the motorbike version of Grab car, coming to Malaysia. I have taken motorbike taxis in Jakarta and believe me, it was godsend given the legendary traffic snarls there.

We all know how bad the jams are in Kuala Lumpur, especially after heavy rain. Wouldn’t it be great to be able to take a two-wheeled taxi from your office, slicing past gridlocked cars and smiling at their misfortune as you whiz to the nearest LRT or MRT station?

I mostly drive, but I also use my motorbike (or bicycle) when going to nearby places where it's hard to find parking. I also minimise my risk by never riding on highways (unless there’s a separate bike lane) and riding only for short distances. So, if I go downtown from my home in Petaling Jaya to Bukit Bintang, I will ride my motorbike to a nearby MRT station (only 1.5km away) and take the train.

I have seen some Facebook posts condemning this idea and mostly, they seem to come from upper/middle-class types who tar ALL motorbikers as Mat Rempits. They forget that many poorer folks - clerical staff, factory workers, et cetera - rely on motorcycles as everyday...

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