Uber controversy Love Macau demands app legalization citing public opinion

Love Macau Association leaders gathered outside the Government Headquarters, Including Cloee Chao (center)

Representatives of the Love Macau Association met outside the Government Headquarters yesterday afternoon to present a letter to authorities lobbying for Uber’s legalization and regulation in the MSAR.
The association cited the local community’s broad and popular support for the ride-
sharing app as their rationale for demanding that the government take measures to regulate the sector.
The association presented a survey it had conducted which showed that 97.2 percent of some 3,069 respondents said that they support Uber in Macau. Only a minority indicated that were against the firm’s continued operation or had no opinion on the matter.
In another online survey, more than 90 percent of approximately 20,000 respondents said that they support the continued operation of Uber, according to the association’s leaders.
As of last night, the official Uber ePetition has reached 19,745 signatories, just over 250 shy of its target of 20,000. Organizers posted a notice to inform the public that the petition had garnered 15,000 signatures within the first 24 hours of being uploaded.
Among the activists yesterday afternoon was Love Macau Association president Cloee Chao, who argued that the popular service provides tourists and residents with a level of convenience not offered by the traditional taxi firms in the city.
“If [traditional] taxi services satisfy the community then people would not be interested in ride-sharing companies,” a statement issued yesterday afternoon noted. “Taxi services [today] damage the reputation of the city and its image,” the statement added, due to the bad behavior of some drivers.
“The government cannot solve this problem, but Uber can solve it.”
Chao also responded yesterday to the suggestion that legalizing services like Uber would only add to the number of road vehicles in the territory, exacerbating traffic congestion. She argued that the vehicles will be in the territory – and on its roads – whether they are affiliated with Uber or not.
Love Macau Association has urged the government to rethink the issue “more carefully” and create reasonable legislation to tackle the pressing issues of Macau’s taxi sector.
Another demonstration outside the Government Headquarters, organized by some of the leaders of yesterday’s meeting, is being planned for Sunday in Tap Seac Square. The demonstration will begin at 3 p.m. and will involve a march on the Government Headquarters at an unspecified time later in the afternoon. Organizers anticipate at least 600 attendees.