SE Asia ride-hail firm Grab hits back in row over Uber takeover

Ride-hailing firm Grab insisted Friday its takeover of Uber’s businesses in Southeast Asia has not substantially eroded competition in Singapore after a threat from the city-state’s anti-monopoly watchdog to reverse the deal.

The Competition and Consumer Commission of Singapore (CCCS) earlier this month threatened to overturn the deal, and called for changes to be made as it infringed competition rules.

Grab – Southeast Asia’s dominant ride-hailing firm, operating in eight countries – said it has submitted a written response to the commission defending the transaction.

“Grab disagrees with the CCCS finding that the Grab/Uber deal has led to a substantial lessening of competition,” the company said.

It said some of the measures proposed by the commission were “unwarranted” but vowed it would continue to cooperate with the watchdog in their ongoing review.

Singapore-headquartered Grab in March agreed to buy Uber’s ride-hailing and food business in Southeast Asia, ending a bruising battle between the ride-hailing companies.

But Singapore’s competition commission found that the deal created a virtual monopoly in the city-state’s ride-hailing market, with Grab raising prices after the merger was completed.

It asked Grab to revert to pre-merger pricing and end its exclusive contracts with drivers so other players would find it easier to enter the market.

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