Grab Indonesia has rolled out a new support feature, Grab Quick Response (Gercep), in the wake of violent protests that have left two ride-hailing drivers dead and several others injured.
The feature, launched on Tuesday, aims to provide immediate legal and psychological assistance to Grab’s driver community, disproportionately affected by the unrest.
The Gercep feature introduces a set of dedicated channels and a help centre explicitly designed for driver partners. Through these channels, drivers can access legal support services and counselling sessions to cope with the trauma of recent events.
Grab is also equipping its partners with real-time notifications about high-risk locations, helping them avoid areas where demonstrations and violence are ongoing.
Neneng Goenadi, CEO of Grab Indonesia, emphasised the company’s commitment to protecting its workforce. “Every driver partner and employee of Grab Indonesia must receive fair treatment and their rights, including security guarantees, when conveying their aspirations to the government. Seeing a crisis situation like this, we feel the need to provide comprehensive support,” she said at a press conference.
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The feature’s launch comes after the tragic deaths of a Gojek driver in Jakarta and a Grab driver in Makassar during riots in the two cities. The company confirmed that three other drivers remain in intensive care in both cities after sustaining serious injuries.
Goenadi expressed condolences to the families of the deceased, underscoring the urgency behind the introduction of Gercep.
Riots escalated by fatal incidents
The unrest was sparked by the death of Affan Kurniawan, a Gojek driver who was struck and killed by a tactical vehicle belonging to the Indonesian National Police Mobile Brigade on August 28 in Jakarta, as reported by Tempo English.
On the following day, another casualty was recorded when Rusmadiansyah died during clashes near the University of Muslim Indonesia (UMI) campus in Makassar.
These incidents have escalated tensions in several cities nationwide, with driver groups demanding accountability and stronger protections.
On September 1, hundreds of students met across various cities in Indonesia after deadly riots on the weekend. The riots left eight dead in the worst violence witnessed in the country in more than two decades; the number of casualties has grown to 10 people across Indonesia by September 2.
The series of protests began on Monday, August 25, in response to the government’s move to enhance lawmakers’ perks.
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Image Credit: Grab
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