Ride-hailing giant Uber is facing a huge potential legal scandal after the US Justice Department announced they were investigating allegations that the tech company bribed authorities in several Asian countries, including Indonesia.
As reported by Bloomberg on September 20, the US-based company is facing a federal probe into suspicious activity in at least five Asian countries (Indonesia, Malaysia, China, India and South Korea) that could potentially be in violation of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.
In Indonesia, unnamed sources have alleged that Uber bribed local police so that the authorities would turn a blind eye to the operations at its Jakarta office, which is located outside of an area zoned for business.
Indonesia’s National Police said they’d welcome any US investigation into the bribery allegations.
“The National Police respects the authority of US law enforcement who are handling the case. If facts and evidence are found in accordance to Indonesia’s system for criminal evidence, the National Police will adhere to the positive laws of Indonesia,” National Police Spokesman Inspector General Setyo wrote in a press release, as quoted by Detik.
“The National Police will not tolerate any criminal acts or violations of law carried out by members of the police.”
Uber and other ride-hailing services operating in Indonesia, such as the Indonesia-based Go-Jek and the Singapore-based Grab, have had numerous legal barriers and acts of resistance from stakeholders of conventional forms of public transport ever since they appeared in the market. However, a recent Supreme Court ruling to abolish the government’s regulations limiting the freedom of ride-hailing services means that Uber and co. now operate in an almost-free market in Indonesia.
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