By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
TechgoonduTechgoondu
  • Audio-visual
  • Enterprise
    • Software
    • Cybersecurity
  • Gaming
  • Imaging
  • Internet
  • Media
  • Mobile
    • Cellphones
    • Tablets
  • PC
  • Telecom
Search
© 2023 Goondu Media Pte Ltd. All Rights Reserved.
Reading: Singapore authorities threaten to unwind Grab-Uber merger but the cab has long left
Share
Aa
TechgoonduTechgoondu
Aa
  • Audio-visual
  • Enterprise
  • Gaming
  • Imaging
  • Internet
  • Media
  • Mobile
  • PC
  • Telecom
Search
  • Audio-visual
  • Enterprise
    • Software
    • Cybersecurity
  • Gaming
  • Imaging
  • Internet
  • Media
  • Mobile
    • Cellphones
    • Tablets
  • PC
  • Telecom
Follow US
© 2023 Goondu Media Pte Ltd. All Rights Reserved.
Techgoondu > Blog > Internet > Singapore authorities threaten to unwind Grab-Uber merger but the cab has long left
Internet

Singapore authorities threaten to unwind Grab-Uber merger but the cab has long left

Alfred Siew
Last updated: July 9, 2018 at 1:19 PM
Alfred Siew Published July 8, 2018
5 Min Read
SHARE
The Grab ride-hailing app. PHOTO: Grab website

You can also say that the ship has sailed. Or, as a friend remarked, the chicken cannot now be uncooked.

However you say it, the Singapore competition commission’s intervention this week to call the Grab-Uber merger anti-competitive is a reactive and ultimately futile attempt to change the situation.

By threatening to unwind the merger, should its recommended actions be deemed insufficient, the Competition and Consumer Commission of Singapore (CCCS) is issuing an ultimatum it cannot enforce.

How can it force Uber to reopen its offices here and launch a service to users again? How can it unravel the new Grab, now more powerful than before with only smaller newcomers to the market to challenge its position?

The American company has left, happy that it got a nice return on investment after a bruising fight with its Southeast Asian rival. Its investors, too, are glad they can now concentrate on making money instead of bleeding cash to win over customers.

Grab’s response isn’t surprising, either. It will challenge the commission by bringing up the innovation card that it knows will win supporters in both the government and the public.

It will remind people that it has made it easier to hail a cab today compared to the bad old days before ride-hailing apps.

Even though there are fewer discounts now, it will say that people still get more options in upcoming players like Go-Jek, its only other noteworthy rival from the region.

And Grab will be right – up to a point. The only problem is that there is a realisation now that these much-admired platform companies are not the unblemished solutions to so many of our urban problems today.

This fortnight, there has been another controversy with yet another transport disruptor – oBike. Yes, the company that left Singapore abruptly and left its users seeking millions of dollars in deposits.

The way it left, by closing its app, shuttering its offices suddenly and leaving thousands of bikes strewn all over the island, has angered users here.

There are also questions for the authorities for not acting proactively. Clearly, they have been caught unawares and are now under pressure to act.

If they had looked, the signs were there in China. There, the bike-sharing bubble burst last year and Uber also left after a merger with a local player in 2016. Both have led to the same results we are seeing in Singapore here.

Now, the Singapore authorities have to somehow force oBike to pay up for clearing the bikes while getting it to return users’ deposits.

They have to make a Grab-dominated ride-hailing market more competitive, in the absence of the only real competitor – Uber. Always one step behind, they appear weak and ineffectual.

On Thursday, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) merely said it “supported” the competition commission’s stance. Earlier, it had remarked it was “studying” the merger’s impact, when news first broke in March.

When oBike closed shop, the authority said it was “engaging” oBike on its exit. It also told consumers to go to the consumer watchdog to get their refunds. As it realised that oBike was not going to clear the abandoned bikes by its deadline, it threatened to recover the cost involved to do so itself.

But how do you wave a stick at someone who is not even here in Singapore any more? Why would you issue a threat that you cannot carry out? Exposed and unprepared, the authorities here have been shown up in the fast-moving digital economy.

This should be a lesson for other sectors, where regulators have to balance innovation with societal impact. They have to be hands-on from the start, not after things have got out of their control.

You only have to look at Barcelona to see how Airbnb has pushed up property prices. That has turned locals against a service that once made it affordable to travel and experience a local culture.

For these disruptors, reality has now set in. At least in Singapore, Airbnb is not officially here. Nor is it affecting the already sky-high property prices. We should be so thankful.

You Might Also Like

As TikTok faces a possible ban in the US, should users elsewhere be worried?

Foodpanda to use Gogoro electric scooters in battery swapping trial with Cycle & Carriage

Debate on computational photography misses what’s real, what’s lived outside a frame

How mirrorless cameras can attract users in era of computational photography

Singtel livestreams concert in train cabin 17m underground to show off 5G network

TAGGED: CCCS, Grab, lta, merger, oBike, platform economy, Singapore, think, transport industry, Uber

Sign up for the TG newsletter

Never miss anything again. Get the latest news and analysis in your inbox.

By signing up, you agree to our Terms of Use and acknowledge the data practices in our Privacy Policy. You may unsubscribe at any time.
Alfred Siew July 8, 2018
Share this Article
Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Whatsapp LinkedIn Copy Link Print
Share
Avatar photo
By Alfred Siew
Follow:
Alfred is a writer, speaker and media instructor who has covered the telecom, media and technology scene for more than 20 years. Previously the technology correspondent for The Straits Times, he now edits the Techgoondu.com blog and runs his own technology and media consultancy.
Previous Article Techgoondu Conversations: Getting refunds from oBike and sizing up Singapore’s mobile market
Next Article New Linksys EA8100-AH Max-Stream router is exclusive to StarHub in Singapore
7 Comments
  • Kawin says:
    July 9, 2018 at 8:51 pm

    Without informing. the merge. Grab Should pay for tje penalty. Two week suspension. This is Singapore. They trying to play with the law here.

    Reply
  • h l Wee says:
    July 9, 2018 at 1:55 pm

    GRAB-UBER MERGE, THE FARE PRICE HAS INCREASED AROUND by 20% .

    Reply
  • James says:
    July 9, 2018 at 12:19 pm

    They are ‘thinktank’, not ‘dotank’ 🙂

    Reply
  • Opiniated Charles (@karlieeuh) says:
    July 9, 2018 at 7:18 am

    ‘Nor is it affecting the already sky-high property prices“
    80% properties around me are Airbnb, probably affects the price.

    Reply
  • Ken says:
    July 8, 2018 at 11:02 pm

    Stop acting.

    Reply
  • james says:
    July 8, 2018 at 9:01 pm

    to unwind?! what a childish talk! cccs not able to think of solutions to control grab n protect its drivers and passengers . not forget there re only 20k qualified drivers only

    Reply
  • Alvin Chiam says:
    July 8, 2018 at 1:53 pm

    Send me more news

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Stay Connected

Facebook Like
Twitter Follow

Latest News

As TikTok faces a possible ban in the US, should users elsewhere be worried?
Cybersecurity Internet March 24, 2023
Foodpanda to use Gogoro electric scooters in battery swapping trial with Cycle & Carriage
Enterprise Internet March 23, 2023
RedCap: A new cellular IoT technology for the 5G era
Enterprise Software Telecom March 23, 2023
Sony Playstation VR2 review: An immersive experience awaits
Gaming March 21, 2023
//

Techgoondu.com is published by Goondu Media Pte Ltd, a company registered and based in Singapore.

.

Started in June 2008 by technology journalists and ex-journalists in Singapore who share a common love for all things geeky and digital, the site now includes segments on personal computing, enterprise IT and Internet culture.

banner banner
Everyday DIY
PC needs fixing? Get your hands on with the latest tech tips
READ ON
banner banner
Leaders Q&A
What tomorrow looks like to those at the leading edge today
FIND OUT
banner banner
Advertise with us
Discover unique access and impact with TG custom content
SHOW ME

 

 

POWERED BY READYSPACE
The Techgoondu website is powered by and managed by Readyspace Web Hosting.

TechgoonduTechgoondu
Follow US

© 2023 Goondu Media Pte Ltd. All Rights Reserved | Privacy | Terms of Use | Advertise | About Us | Contact

Join Us!

Never miss anything again. Get the latest news and analysis in your inbox.

Zero spam, Unsubscribe at any time.
 

Loading Comments...
 

    Welcome Back!

    Sign in to your account

    Lost your password?