Five Uber drivers were captured by DKI Jakarta’s Transportation Department officers, NGO members, and Police officers last Friday (19/6). It was part of the attempts of “getting” Uber registering its services, establishing its own office, and paying the tax. Responding to the incident, Uber’s Communications Lead for South Asia and India Karun Arya tried providing his official statement.

He again emphasized how the local government has failed in understanding Uber and its business. He also normatively explained that Uber is a tech company that doesn’t own and operate any car and driver. Its platform bridges between passengers and Uber’s partners, which refers to licensed transportation companies, including their drivers.

Arya underlined that security is Uber’s main priority, as the service includes the driver’s name, photo, contact detail, and car’s license plate as common information that passengers can tell. Uber also allows consumers to share their trip and destination to their families and friends, which can be tracked via GPS tracking feature equipped in Uber’s app.

He also stated, “Every vehicle in Jakarta on the Uber platform is a registered for-hire car with full commercial insurance that is thoroughly inspected by Uber, meeting all local licensing and registration requirements.”

“Uber complies with all applicable local tax laws and pays applicable taxes in every market it operates in,” he continued.

Arya ensured that Uber Asia already owns a representative, licensed and integrated office in Jakarta.

About the capturing of the drivers, Arya stated that his team will 100% support their partner’s drivers and help them getting out of the trouble as soon as possible.

We previously reported that the operation to sweep Uber’s drivers out of the street as they’re accused of being unincorporated, not paying the tax, and ruining the tariff system as they set their services at a lower rate.