Honestly, this one is hard to read. And even harder to swallow.
A Grab ride is supposed to be boring. You scroll phone, you stare out window, maybe you fall asleep a bit. What it’s not supposed to be is a horror show.
But here’s the thing. That’s exactly what allegedly happened to a young woman in Johor Bahru.
What Actually Happened
On Feb 1, a female passenger took a Grab ride from Taman Mount Austin to R&F Mall. Sounds normal so far.
But during the ride, the driver — identified as Alvin Choo Chee Choong — allegedly started reaching from the driver’s seat to the back, trying to touch her thigh. Yes, while driving. One hand on steering wheel, one hand doing nonsense.
Actually, it didn’t stop there.
He reportedly spoke in Mandarin, asking her age, whether she could speak Mandarin, and later crossed another very clear line by asking how much she would charge to “rent a room” with him.
Let that sink in.
The woman stayed mostly silent, blocked him with her hand, and covered her legs tightly with clothing. In the videos shared online, you can feel how frozen and scared she was.
After reaching home, she reportedly broke down, cried non-stop, and locked herself in her room.
And honestly? That reaction makes total sense.
Why This Is More Than “Just One Bad Driver”
Some people love to say, “Aiya, just one black sheep only lah.”
No. This thinking is dangerous.
Because harassment in cars isn’t small. It’s trapped-space fear. You’re inside someone else’s vehicle, moving, doors locked, unsure where they might go next.
Actually, the power imbalance is the scariest part.
The driver controls the car. The passenger just wants to get home alive and untouched. That’s it. That’s the bare minimum expectation.
So when someone abuses that power, it’s not “flirting gone wrong.” It’s intimidation.
The Online Reaction
The Facebook post sharing the incident exploded. Over 3700 shares. A lot of anger. A lot of pain.
One comment reminded people that Grab has an emergency button inside the app — something many users forget until it’s too late.
Another comment? Pure rage humour. Dark, unfiltered, and very Singaporean. Not classy, but you can feel how fed up people are.
Because honestly, when these stories keep repeating, patience runs out.
Between You & Me
If you’re a grown man and you still think it’s okay to sexually harass someone while on the job, the problem isn’t temptation. The problem is entitlement.
This isn’t about loneliness. It’s not about “misunderstanding signals.” It’s about someone thinking they can get away with it because the victim is scared, quiet, and stuck.
And that’s what makes people furious.
Also — silence does not mean consent. Silence often means fear. Full stop.
What You Can Actually Do Next Time
Nobody should need these tips. But here we are.
- Always share live location with someone you trust before or during the ride
- Know where the emergency button is inside the app
- Don’t engage if something feels off. Protect first, argue later
- Cover screen if needed so tracking continues even if phone is taken
- Trust your gut. If something feels wrong, it probably is
This isn’t victim-blaming. It’s survival mode advice, unfortunately.
Grab, and all ride-hailing platforms, thrive on trust. Once that trust cracks, it affects everyone — drivers included.
So accountability matters. Complaints matter. Police reports matter, even if they take time.
And most importantly, speaking up matters. Not because it’s easy. But because silence only protects the wrong people.
Women should not need a safety checklist just to get home.
And men who “cannot control themselves” shouldn’t be driving anyone, anywhere, at any time.
Full stop.
