Uber controversy | Lawmaker hopes Sunday’s demo will produce ideas

MCDI leaders speak at a press conference yesterday. The sign behind them reads: “Protest for Uber. Break down the monopoly; introduce competition; respond to what people what; improve the way people travel.”

Lawmaker Ng Kuok Cheong said yesterday, at the sidelines of a press conference ahead of the pro-Uber demonstration planned for Sunday, that he hopes the gathering will produce a proposal for the regulation of app-hailing services in the city, as he has no proposals himself.
At the meeting yesterday, Macau Community Development Initiative leaders including lawmakers Ng Kuok Cheong and Au Kam San, outlined what they hope to achieve from Sunday’s demonstration.
Ng explained that one of the primary purposes behind the demonstration is to invite the public to submit their proposals on how to regulate services like Uber. He also admitted that, at present, legislators do not have their own proposal that would see an improvement to the city’s public services while balancing the interests of disputing parties.
“We must let people speak out about this and to encourage more [strategizing] to help Macau move ahead [with transportation improvements],” Ng told reporters.
“At this stage we [the legislators] have not proposed a suitable system for how to regulate this force in Macau, how to change the institutions, while at the same time balancing the interests of the [disputing parties],” he explained.
When asked if he will consider submitting his own proposal, the lawmaker said: “If I receive a proposal [that I think] is suitable for Macau then I will submit it. But at the moment, I do not have a concrete proposal,” adding that he doesn’t currently know how to expand the city’s transport options.
“I need to study [the issue] more,” he justified.
Ng says that the purpose of the demonstration is to gather opinions so as to draft a proposal for the government and the legislature to discuss. He is therefore not hopeful that the government will change their response to the ride-hailing app or optimistic that Uber will rescind their intent to withdraw.
“I don’t think that the government will [backtrack on their decision],” he admitted.
“We know, of course, that Uber is only one company. We do not have to accept this one company, but [we need to consider] this new kind of transport. This is important because transport is Macau is really very difficult,” added Ng.
Asked whether he has been in contact with Uber and whether they have expressed any indication that Sunday’s gathering could reverse their decision to withdraw from the territory, Ng said: “They have not directly contacted me, no.”
Demonstrators will meet on Sunday afternoon at 3 p.m. in Tap Seac Square, where they will march to the Government Headquarters. Ng says that their Facebook event page suggests an attendance of at least 600.
The lawmaker also said that Sunday’s demonstration will be “peaceful, rational and non-violent,” as in the case of “normal demonstrations” in Macau.
Asked if the lawmaker uses the ride-hailing app in the city, Ng replied: “Never”.
“There are many things that I never buy, but of course whether they are suitable for Macau,” he added to explain why he is backing the protest.
On the allegations that the government is warning civil servants from participating in the demonstration or signing the petition, Ng said that he personally has received no complaints as of yesterday. However he also stated that it was not appropriate for the government to send these instructions, as this sort of public participation “is a basic liberty for Macau people.”

uber drivers take unofficial petition to the streets

As of last night, more than 16,600 people have signed the official Uber ePetition to support the service’s continued operation in the city.
It is not only the app-based company that is gathering support from the local community, however.
Last night and over the next few days, Uber drivers are independently taking to the streets to conduct their own petitions.
One such driver on Rua do Campo told the Times last night that they already have around 2,000 signatures between them. He added that they intend to present another front in the pro-Uber movement that is gathering momentum this week.