Grab Conversations On Air: Recent Episodes
Grab Conversations On Air
This is a special podcast series brought to you by the Public Affairs team at Grab: Southeast Asia's leading mobile technology company providing everyday services that matter most to consumers. On this podcast platform, industry players, government, and thought-leaders from the tech industry come together to discuss issues, exchange ideas on how we can advance the tech agenda, and leverage it for the betterment of societies.
Small and medium sized businesses (SMEs) are often at the receiving end of user and regulatory pressure to maintain a high standard of compliance with data protection laws, especially in light of growing breach and misuse of personal information. However, navigating the complex regulatory landscape is a challenge. In this final episode of Grab’s ‘Data Protection in SEA’ series, we chat with Desmond Chow, Director with P2D Solutions Pte Ltd about the compliance challenges faced by SMEs, how their approach differs from that of large businesses, and industry best practices and mechanisms available for SMEs to ensure data privacy and protection in the Southeast Asia region.
Singapore has always been ahead of the curve when it comes to adopting comprehensive data protection legislation. The Personal Data Protection Act came into force in 2013 and was recently amended in 2021 to bring it more in line with international benchmarks like the GDPR. In this third episode of Grab’s ‘Data Protection in SEA’ series, we chat with Francis Zhang, Deputy Director of Policy at Singapore’s Personal Data Protection Commission about the balance between data protection and data innovation, Singapore’s cross-border data transfer policy, and the harmonisation of data protection requirements across ASEAN. We also delve into the world of Privacy Enhancing Technologies or PETs and how Singapore has gone about encouraging their adoption.
Personal data protection laws are being developed and enforced in countries across Southeast Asia. Data localisation is a contentious issue within these laws, with some countries imposing restrictions on the free movement of data outside national borders while others support a trusted and open environment for cross-border data flows. In this second episode of Grab’s ‘Data Protection in SEA’ series, we sat down with Dr Prapanpong Khumon, Vice Dean at the School of Law, University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce to navigate the regional data protection landscape, understand Thailand’s stance on cross-border data flows, and identify the tools available in the ASEAN region that ensure cross-border data flows do not compromise the data privacy of individuals.
Have you ever found yourself wondering how the personal data that you volunteer in exchange for digital services is used by companies and governments? Are there laws that help protect your personal data from misuse? These are concerns that resonate with many across the globe. Regulations on data protection are quickly emerging all over the world, from the EU to Southeast Asia, to address these concerns. In this first episode of Grab’s ‘Data Protection in Southeast Asia’ series, we sat down with Josh Lee, Managing Director Asia Pacific of the Future of Privacy Forum, a reputed privacy think-tank, to unravel what data protection entails, why it is important, and how it can best serve its purpose in Southeast Asia.
Technology has challenged long-standing labour dynamics and fueled the gig economy’s exponential rise since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic. For many across Southeast Asia, the gig economy has not only become a lifeline, but also a viable option for those seeking to supplement their incomes to make ends meet during a crisis. Yet, it is not without its share of concerns: whether the promise of flexible, “on-your-own-terms” work is more realistically characterized as low-quality work that affords few protections and little autonomy or representation for gig workers.
Global discussions on the gig economy, including its potential regulatory responses and approaches, have been largely driven out of contexts in the West. Relatively less attention has been given to how the issues may play out in other contexts that are markedly different. Southeast Asia, with its diversity of countries that span the spectrum in levels of development, provides an interesting lens to examine this.
In this special edition of Grab Conversations (which took place on 24 June 2021), we tackle the pressing topic of the gig economy in Southeast Asia. With the help of leading thinkers from the International Labour Organization (ILO) and those at the forefront of shaping the future of work, we will consider how the issues central to the gig topic translate across contexts, and how this may impact our view of the most relevant challenges, including how best to tackle them.
Speakers (in order of appearance):
- Tan Hooi Ling, Grab Co-Founder
- Uma Rani, Senior Economist at the Research Department, International Labour Office (ILO)
- Lim Yew Heng, Group-Managing Director, Public Affairs, Grab
- Pandu Sjahrir, Chairman SEA Indonesia
- Trevor Sworn, Director Enduring Consultancy and Board Member of Cambodian Federation of Employers and Business Associations
- Adrian Tan, Strategist Future of Work at Institute of HR Professionals in Singapore
- Sara Elder, Senior Economist at the International Labour Office (ILO)
- Tan Sri Dr. Noor Azlan Ghazali, Executive Director of the National Economic Action Council of Malaysia
Moderated by:
- Ilaria Chan, Group Advisor for Tech and Social Impact at Grab
- Sara Elder, Senior Economist at the International Labour Office (ILO)
Takeaways for Grab.To wrap up this series, Grabbers - Jamie and Ping Yuen joins Matin to reflect on the opportunities a platform like Grab can positively contribute towards the broader gig economy ecosystem.
How will the gig economy landscape in markets like Singapore evolve, and how should we as a society respond? In this episode, we sat down with Mr Ang Hin Kee, Advisor to National Taxi Association (NTA) and National Private Hire Vehicle Association (NPHVA), who has been working on issues relating to Self-Employed Individuals for the last 8 years to get his insights. Background Reading: https://www.mom.gov.sg/newsroom/press-releases/2018/0222-tripartite-workgroup-releases-recommendations-on-self-employed-persons
The Gig Economy is likely to stay - but how can stakeholders come together to maximise the benefits, and mitigate the risks for those who choose to be part of the sector? We sought to get a perspective from special guest, Richard Hartung, Managing Director of Transcarta who recently published an opinion piece on the surprising opportunities gig jobs offer during uncertain times.
Background Reading:
https://www.todayonline.com/singapore/gig-work-may-offer-surprising-new-opportunities-during-uncertain-times
The Rise of Gig Economy - is this an inevitable shape of things to come given the uncertain world we live in today? In this premier episode of Grab Conversations On Air, Grabbers - Matin and Jamie go on a journey to provide a nuanced look at how the gig economy is playing out in real-time by listening in to some up-close-and-personal accounts of Grab’s very own driver and delivery partners.
Background reading: https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/5-types-of-gig-economy-workers