Online Drivers in Batam Stage Protest at Maxim Office with Four Demands
A number of online drivers or ride-hailing operators visited the Maxim office at Ruko Botania Trading House 2, Belian Village, Batam Kota District, Batam City, Riau Islands, on Tuesday (23/6). The drivers’ visit was a spontaneous action to convey a series of demands to Maxim Batam’s management. The action was attended by the Chairman of the Batam Online Driver Alliance (ADOB), Djafri Rajab; Chairman of Sahabat Milenial Batam (SMB), Imron Maulana; representatives from Kopia, Pendowo; and several other online driver communities in Batam.
Sahabat Milenial Batam Chairman Imron Maulana stated there are four main demands the drivers wish to convey to Maxim. These demands include the issue of the implementation of Value Added Tax (PPN), a request for Maxim to stop accepting new drivers, a solution to facial verification (vermuk) obstacles when activating the application, and a review of the policy regarding the installation of stickers on partner vehicles.
Imron explained that the PPN implementation, which took effect last month, is considered to have impacted driver income. The drivers also regret the policy because it was allegedly not accompanied by adequate socialisation. According to him, the cut taken by the applicator from driver earnings reaches 10 to 15 percent. “Driver income has still not increased. This PPN implementation also affects the number of orders, especially for drivers with limited balances and the lowest fares,” he said.
Besides the PPN issue, the drivers also highlighted Maxim’s policy of continuing to open recruitment for new drivers. This policy is considered unwise as it impacts the income of drivers who have been with the platform for a long time. Imron assessed that before opening new partner registration, the applicator needs to first evaluate the accounts of drivers who are already inactive. “That issue is our concern. We hope management can adopt a wiser policy,” he said.
Another demand relates to facial verification (vermuk). According to Imron, this problem has been felt by drivers for at least the last two years. Vermuk is a procedure drivers must complete to open the application and receive orders. However, the system is often considered troublesome for drivers. Imron mentioned that Maxim gives a 20-minute time limit for drivers to perform facial verification after a notification arrives. If the time limit is exceeded, the account cannot be opened. “If we don’t do the vermuk, we have to go to the office to open the application. There we have to wait and queue for hours. Our friends’ time to go online is wasted. It’s a pity for online drivers who don’t really understand this,” he revealed.
The fourth demand concerns the policy of installing stickers on four-wheeled vehicles. Several car drivers have objected to this policy. According to Imron, Maxim’s management applies a certain scheme for partners who want to get more orders. In this scheme, the partner’s vehicle must be fully fitted with stickers, including for small sections. “Meanwhile, other applicators do not implement this. This implementation has also been going on for a long time,” he explained.
As of the writing of this report, a number of online drivers were still waiting in front of the Maxim Batam office. They were attempting to meet the Maxim Batam Branch Head to convey their aspirations directly.