A couple conversing in English took a Grab ride on the 5th of this month. After boarding, they noticed a sign stuck behind the driver’s seat that read: “Chinese people please speak Chinese, I do not speak English to Chinese, sorry!”
A private hire car (ride-hailing vehicle) displayed a label inside stating, 'Chinese people please speak Chinese.' The driver involved has already been suspended from accepting orders on the platform.
According to Lianhe Zaobao’s report on the 9th, a couple conversing in English took a Grab ride on the 5th of this month, and after getting on board, they found a sign behind the driver’s seat reading: “Chinese people please speak Chinese, I do not speak English to Chinese, sorry!”
What further displeased the female passenger, Shen Xianyi (31, a marketing executive), was that when the driver heard her speaking English with her family, he deliberately turned up the car radio’s volume, which made her quite angry.
She filmed the incident and later posted it online, sparking heated discussions.
On Friday (the 10th), Grab responded to Lianhe Zaobao’s inquiry, stating that the company has zero tolerance for any form of discriminatory behavior. The platform has already suspended the involved driver's order-taking privileges until he removes the relevant sign and undergoes mandatory counselling to ensure his behavior aligns with the company’s guidelines, before considering reinstatement.
“We would also like to take this opportunity to remind all participants in our platform’s ecosystem to jointly bear the responsibility of maintaining a respectful and inclusive environment for everyone.”