SHAH ALAM – A viral video involving a Grab driver and a passenger who allegedly made insulting remarks about the Quran has sparked heated discussions online over the past few days.
The situation became even more confusing after the driver claimed he had been told his Grab account would be permanently banned.
Grab Malaysia has since stepped in to clear the air, saying the driver's account is still active and no action has been taken against him.
So, what actually happened? Here's a simple breakdown of the case.
How did it start?
The incident began after a dashcam video, lasting about two minutes and 20 seconds, went viral on social media.
The video allegedly showed a passenger making remarks about the Quran while riding in a Grab vehicle in Johor Bahru.
The driver responded by telling the passenger not to insult Islam and reminded him to be respectful when talking about religion.
The passenger later apologised before getting out of the vehicle.
The clip quickly attracted thousands of reactions, with many praising the driver's composure while others questioned what consequences the incident might have for him.
Why did people think the driver had been banned?
Several days after the video gained attention, the driver, Danial Nadz Hakim, shared a social media post claiming he had received information from what he described as a "higher-up" that his Grab account would most likely be permanently banned.
Despite that possibility, he said he accepted whatever happened.
"Whatever happens, I accept it. What I did was sincerely for Allah, for my faith, the holy Quran and the Prophet," he said.
He added that he had no regrets over his actions.
"Even if I have to lose my livelihood, I would rather that than lose my faith," he added.
Danial also encouraged Muslims not to remain silent if Islam was insulted or ridiculed.
His post quickly gained traction online, leading many people to believe Grab had already decided to remove him from the platform.
Grab says the account is still active
Grab Malaysia later issued an official statement to address the speculation.
The company confirmed that no action had been taken against the driver's account and that he remains an active driver on the platform.
"No action has been taken against the driver's account and his account remains active," the statement read.
Grab said the driver was not under investigation when it reviewed the incident.
The company also revealed that it had contacted Danial directly to offer support.
"We have reached out to Mr Danial to offer our full support," it added.
Grab reiterated that every driver deserves to work in a safe and respectful environment and stressed that it maintains a zero-tolerance policy towards discrimination, hate speech and harassment.
However, it stressed that no driver's account would be suspended or deactivated without a proper investigation and clear evidence that company policies had been breached.
The driver later shared another update
Following Grab's statement, Danial posted another update confirming that the company had contacted him.
According to him, Grab informed him that his account had not been suspended because the incident was viewed as self-protection rather than a violation of the platform's Code of Conduct.
"In my case, no action has been taken and my account is not under investigation because this was considered an act of protecting myself rather than a breach of the Code of Conduct,” he said.
Although relieved by the outcome, he said he is still unable to return to work for the time being because his mobile phone remains with police for forensic examination.
He also urged the public not to boycott Grab, saying such action would hurt other drivers who rely on the platform to support their families.
"Please continue supporting Grab. Don't boycott it because it would affect the livelihoods of many fellow Muslim drivers who depend on it,” he added.
What are police investigating?
The incident is now the subject of an ongoing police investigation.
Johor Bahru Selatan district police chief Assistant Commissioner Azrul Hisham Mohd Shaffei said police opened a case after the video began circulating online.
He said the recording had drawn public concern because it allegedly touched on religious sensitivities and contained remarks insulting Islam.
"The recording has caused public concern because it is believed to touch on religious sensitivities and contains remarks insulting Islam," he said in an earlier statement.
Police are investigating the case under Section 4(1) of the Sedition Act 1948, Section 298 of the Penal Code, which relates to acts intended to wound religious feelings, and Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998, involving the improper use of network facilities or network services.
Authorities have also sought the cooperation of the driver as part of the investigation, while his mobile phone has been retained for forensic analysis.
Grab has confirmed it is cooperating fully with the authorities.
For now, the case remains under investigation, while Grab maintains that any action against drivers or passengers will only be taken following a thorough review and based on verified evidence, not speculation.