Grab user briefly lost their GrabPay credits during an outage on Thursday morning. Source: Flickr/fivestarsandamoon

Baby born in Grab car gets lifetime of free rides

RIDE-HAILING company Grab is giving away a lifetime of free rides to a baby boy who was born during a Grab ride in Malaysia late last week.

The company announced it on Saturday after learning of the birth, which took place inside the vehicle of 45-year-old Grab driver Grace Nesamani Raju.

“IT’S A BOY! We’re overjoyed to hear a baby was delivered in a Grab ride yesterday (Friday) while on the way to the hospital,”  the company said on Facebook.

“We couldn’t have been more proud of our driver-partner Grace who remained calm and brought both parents and baby safely to the hospital.”

“To celebrate this joyous event, we are giving the baby a LIFETIME of FREE Grab rides (sic).”

According to The Star, Grace responded to a ride request from a pregnant woman at Kuala Lumpur’s iconic Bukit Bintang shopping district, an area synonymous with traffic congestion during peak hours.

The unnamed woman, along with her husband and a friend, was headed to the Sentul Medical Centre a few kilometres away for a checkup, but the routine ride turned into a race against time when her labor began in the vehicle.

“She said she could feel the water breaking and she really could not stand the pain, so she was screaming and screaming,” said Grace, who has been driving for Grab for four months.

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“The minute I stopped the car at the entrance, the baby was already out, right in front of the hospital,” she said.

The early birth was unexpected, Grace said, as the baby was only due next week.

Grace said on Friday, a Grab staff member called her to convey heartfelt thanks from the woman’s family, according to The Star.

“They didn’t have my number, so they informed the Grab office to pass on their compliments.

“I’m really happy because I helped save two lives – be proud of Grab drivers! All glory to God,” she said.

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In the Facebook announcement, Grab said apart from the lifetime of free rides for the newborn, the company was also preparing something “really special” for Grace.

Grab Malaysia communications manager Regina Arumugam told Tech Wire Asia the company was ironing out the details on how the baby can redeem the lifetime offer in future.

“We will be going to see the family this weekend, but it’s important we allow them to settle in (with the birth) first,” she said, adding the company was making an arrangement for the driver to visit the family as well.

On the “special” gift, Regina did not discount the possibility of a cash incentive for Grace but said the “surprise” would be announced at a later time.