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Ryde decides not to recruit private-hire drivers and cabbies following LTA warning

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In a turn of events, Singapore’s homegrown mobility app Ryde has declared yesterday (16 August) that it will not take on private-hire vehicle (PHV) drivers and taxi cab drivers for the new RydeSend initiative, following the warning received from the Land Transport Authority (LTA) on Wednesday.

The company, which has signed up 3,000 taxi drivers but has yet to incorporate them onto the Ryde booking system, will also not use these cabbies for RydeSend.

The firm stated that it will tap private drivers, instead, who may be available in their spare time to deliver items for the app’s users.

Ryde’s chief executive and founder Terence Zou stated that Ryde aims to expand its peer-to-peer network with motorcyclists, targeting the 140,000 motorcycles in Singapore.

Separately, Ryde has apologised for the “confusion” it had caused as a result of the announcement regarding RydeSend.

Previously, Ryde Technologies has announced its expansion into on-demand, door-to-door courier services through RydeSEND, claiming to be the pioneer ride-hailing app that also offers a peer-to-peer courier service for documents, parcels, flowers or even properly packed meals within 60 minutes, with over 60,000 drivers under its wing.

However, LTA has declared that the launch of RydeSend would “contravene the regulations prohibiting Public Service Vehicles such as taxis and private hire cars from solely conveying goods”, and has warned that “drivers accepting such jobs may have their vocational licences revoked”.

The authority reasoned that under the law, PHVs and taxis are only meant to transport passengers in need of commuting from one place to another for hire and reward, and that such vehicles are prohibited from being utilised as a means of conveying goods.

“We have warned Ryde that its proposed RydeSend service would contravene the regulations prohibiting Public Service Vehicles such as taxis and private hire cars from solely conveying goods. Drivers accepting such jobs may have their vocational licences revoked,” said an LTA spokesperson in an interview with The Straits Times.

LTA also noted that Ryde did not consult the authority prior to launching RydeSend.

Ryde has announced that registrations for motorcyclists via the Ryde Driver app will open on the 3rd next month. The company aims to recruit 20,000 motorcyclists for its RydeSend courier service by Q4 2018.

Ryde has also stated that it will recruit private drivers who are able to deliver items for the app’s users in their spare time, and will not be assigning taxi cab drivers under the RydeSend feature. Currently, Ryde has 3,000 taxi cab drivers, but has yet to incorporate them into the booking system.

Speaking to The Straits Times, Ryde Technologies’ chief executive and founder Terence Zou said that the company will “engage with the authorities to see how private-hire drivers can be allowed to do courier jobs”.

Mr Zou also highlighted the synergistic links between Ryde’s vast pool of drivers and a cashless payment system coupled with “live” tracking of vehicles through the app as the reason behind venturing into courier services through RydeSend.

Netizens have pointed out the sheer impracticality of Ryde’s move to venture into delivery services through RydeSend, and the foreseeable clash with LTA’s regulations in the first place.

Tan Khoon Yam said:

I thought LTA did not approve of PHV [private hire vehicles] and taxis doing courier [service]?

Yazid Idah wrote:

Didn’t LTA say that PHV drivers are not allowed to do courier work?

HK Cheam commented:

LTA just said “NO” on the news! Jialat.

Ren Yeo said:

It’s better to focus on ride hailing and do a difficult job exceedingly well, than to become the jack of every trade, master of nothing.  

Malcom Ong wrote:

So will they be allow to use PHV vehicle to deliver parcel during their free time?

Diana Teo said:

Lol… Only when LTA steps in then you twisted your story…

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Temasek in negotiations for over US$1 billion stake in India’s largest snack maker

Temasek Holdings is in talks to acquire a minority stake in Haldiram Snacks, India’s largest snack manufacturer. This potential transaction could value Haldiram at around US$11 billion (S$14.3 billion). Temasek is considering buying 10% to 15%, with an investment worth over US$1 billion (S$1.3 billion), possibly paving the way for an IPO.

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SINGAPORE: Temasek Holdings is reportedly in discussions to acquire a minority stake in Haldiram Snacks, India’s largest snack manufacturer.

As reported by Bloomberg news, sources familiar with the matter have indicated that the transaction may value Haldiram at approximately US$11 billion (S$14.3 billion).

The Singapore’s sovereign wealth fund is contemplating purchasing between 10 per cent and 15 per cent of the company, which could equate to a stake worth over US$1 billion (S$1.3 billion).

The potential investment could serve as a stepping stone towards an initial public offering (IPO) for Haldiram, though the discussions are still at a preliminary stage and may not culminate in a deal.

The company, also known as Haldiram’s, has attracted interest from various other bidders, underscoring its significant market position.

A representative for Temasek has declined to provide any comments, and Haldiram has not responded immediately to requests for information.

Established by Ganga Bishan Agarwal in the 1930s in northern India, Haldiram’s offers an extensive range of products, including sweet and savoury snacks, frozen meals, and breads.

The company also operates 43 restaurants in and around Delhi, as detailed on its website.

The Agarwal family is reportedly considering various options, including a potential sale of the business or an IPO, as noted by Bloomberg News.

The growing interest of global investors in India has been fuelled by the nation’s rapid economic expansion, making it a prime location for significant deal-making.

Over the past two decades, Temasek has invested nearly US$37 billion in India, according to Mr Vishesh Shrivastav, the managing director for India investments at Temasek.

In July, Mohit Bhandari, Temasek’s Managing Director for India, during an interview with Reuters, indicated that Temasek Holdings plans to invest up to US$10 billion (approximately S$13.4 billion) in India over the next three years, with targeted investment areas including financial services and healthcare.

As Temasek becomes more cautious about investing in China, it is leaning towards increasing its investments in India.

India’s economy is growing rapidly, with its stock market near historical highs, and there is a boom in initial public offerings and mergers and acquisitions.

Bhandari stated that India currently accounts for 7% of Temasek’s global investments, and the company intends to increase this proportion.

Approximately 22% of Temasek’s investments are in the US, while 19% are in China. In the last fiscal year, for the first time in a decade, Temasek’s investments in the Americas surpassed those in China.

Temasek has been focusing on acquiring minority stakes in companies, assisting them in their growth, while largely avoiding the trend of securing majority holdings in Indian firms.

Its primary areas of interest include digitisation, consumer trends, and sustainable living.

Notable potential minority investments are said to include VFS Global, which is valued at about US$7 billion, including debt, according to Bloomberg News.

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WP Engine banned from WordPress.org amid escalating legal fight with Matt Mullenweg

Following Matt Mullenweg’s ban on WP Engine from accessing WordPress.org resources, many WP Engine customers are left vulnerable, as they can no longer access plugin updates or security features. Mullenweg urged users to seek alternative hosts, escalating the legal conflict between the two companies.

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In a sharp escalation of tensions, WordPress co-founder and CEO Matt Mullenweg has publicly criticized WP Engine, a popular hosting provider, while also cutting its access to WordPress.org’s resources.

The dispute centres on legal and trademark issues, with Mullenweg accusing WP Engine of both profiteering off WordPress’s open-source platform and damaging its community.

On 25 September, Mullenweg posted a scathing blog on WordPress.org, stating that WP Engine no longer has free access to the platform’s resources and calling for customers to avoid the service.

He also detailed that WP Engine’s recent actions disrupted thousands of websites. “WP Engine broke thousands of customer sites yesterday in their haphazard attempt to block our attempts to inform the wider WordPress community,” Mullenweg claimed.

The conflict appears rooted in WP Engine’s use of WordPress’s open-source platform while allegedly not contributing to its development or upholding community standards.

At the core of the dispute is WP Engine’s practice of locking down a WordPress feature that tracks revision history for posts. According to Mullenweg, this undermines a crucial aspect of WordPress’s promise of data transparency and protection.

WP Engine, in turn, has argued that Mullenweg is trying to coerce them into paying millions to license the WordPress trademark, a claim Mullenweg denies.

The host provider WP Engine has faced harsh criticism for disabling certain features in WordPress core, which, according to Mullenweg, is central to protecting user data.

“WP Engine wants to control your WordPress experience,” Mullenweg wrote, accusing the company of exploiting WordPress’s free services while making billions of dollars in revenue.

WP Engine’s inability to provide security updates and other resources leaves customers vulnerable, Mullenweg suggested, urging users to consider alternative hosting options.

Additionally, Mullenweg argued that WP Engine would need to replicate WordPress’s security infrastructure independently.

He emphasized that WordPress.org has collaborated with hosting providers to address vulnerabilities at the network layer, a service WP Engine can no longer access freely. “Why should WordPress.org provide these services to WP Engine for free, given their attacks on us?” he asked.

The ban leaves WP Engine in a precarious position, as customers who rely on WordPress plugins and themes may face significant difficulties accessing the latest updates.

These restrictions have raised alarms in the community, as outdated plugins are often the target of cyberattacks. Hackers frequently exploit vulnerabilities in WordPress plugins, potentially compromising millions of websites globally.

The dispute between WordPress and WP Engine has been simmering for some time.

Earlier in September, Mullenweg described WP Engine as a “cancer to WordPress” during a speech at the WordCamp US Summit, accusing the company of profiting off the platform without giving back.

In response, WP Engine sent a cease-and-desist letter to Mullenweg and Automattic, claiming that Mullenweg’s comments were an attempt to extort the company into paying for a trademark license.

WP Engine’s legal team also accused Mullenweg of threatening a “scorched earth nuclear approach” if they refused to comply with his demands.

The cease-and-desist letter was swiftly countered by Automattic, WordPress’s parent company, which asserted that WP Engine had violated WordPress and WooCommerce trademark policies.

The updated trademark policy on WordPress.org explicitly cautions users against assuming WP Engine is affiliated with WordPress. “Many people think WP Engine is ‘WordPress Engine’ and officially associated with WordPress, which it’s not,” the updated guidelines explain.

The legal dispute has thrown both companies and their customers into uncertainty.

While WordPress operates under a GPL (General Public License), which makes the software free for use, hosting providers like WP Engine must offer services beyond the core platform, such as user login systems, update servers, and security monitoring.

Mullenweg’s decision to sever WP Engine’s access to WordPress.org resources has already caused disruption, with many sites reporting functionality issues and concerns about security vulnerabilities.

WP Engine has pushed back against Mullenweg’s actions.

In a public statement, the company accused Mullenweg of abusing his influence over WordPress to disrupt WP Engine customers’ access to WordPress.org, calling the move “unprecedented and unwarranted.”

The company argued that the ban affected not only its users but also developers who rely on WP Engine’s tools to build and maintain WordPress plugins.

As the dispute unfolds, the wider WordPress community is left to grapple with the implications. Developers and hosting providers have expressed concern over the trademark battle, fearing that similar restrictions could extend to them.

The WordPress Foundation, which holds the trademark, has already filed to trademark “Managed WordPress” and “Hosted WordPress,” sparking debate about how this might affect commercial users.

For now, the WordPress ecosystem is in flux as users, developers, and hosting providers wait to see how the legal battle will unfold and whether WP Engine will regain access to critical WordPress.org resources.

Until then, Mullenweg’s message is clear: if you want the true WordPress experience, WP Engine is no longer the place to find it.

Editor’s note: This publication was previously hosted on WP Engine.

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