Uber ‘deeply upset’ woman passenger robbed during ride
E-hailing operator is in direct contact with passenger and says even one such incident is ‘one too many’.
In as statement today, Uber said the incident was “deeply upsetting”, and should not have taken place at all.
The share ride firm also said it was in contact with the victim, 26-year-old Wong Mei Yan.
“(We) will continue to engage her directly regarding this incident.
“We facilitate millions of rides in Malaysia every week and even one incident like this is one too many,” it said.
Uber’s comment came following a press conference that Wong held today.
The sales assistant, who was one month into her pregnancy when she was robbed at knifepoint, told reporters she suffered a miscarriage about a week later.
According to the Star Online, Wong was now planning to take legal action against Uber for emotional distress and loss as a result of the incident which took place at around 9.30pm on May 21.
Meanwhile, Uber said it was continuously working to improve its services and that safety was a matter it took “very seriously”.
“We have been working with the police since we were made aware within a few hours of the incident.”
The Star Online had earlier reported Wong as saying that when she got into the car, she had not noticed that there was another passenger in the front seat or that the driver had a low ranking.
She said she only became aware of the presence of the other man, who she described as small and thin, when the driver started talking to him.
She also said that when the car approached the One Puchong business centre, the male passenger turned around and pointed a knife at her, ordering her to surrender her valuables to him.
She pleaded for them not to harm her, and told them she was pregnant. Both men then dropped her off in the middle of the road at 10.20pm at Koi Kinrara, about 5km from where she was picked up.
The Uber driver was arrested three days later at the R&R Pagoh in Muar, Johor.
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