(Reuters) -Indonesian ride-hailing firm GoTo said on Wednesday that it has consistently backed government policies that will benefit driver-partners and merchants, including those involving mergers or acquisitions.
The statement comes days after a spokesperson for the Indonesian president said the government was discussing a possible merger or acquisition involving GoTo and its ride-hailing and food delivery rival Grab.
“The company… (has) always supported government policies relating to the improvement of driver-partners and merchant welfare, including if this is to be achieved through a merger, acquisition or any other strategic corporate action,” GoTo’s corporate secretary R.A Koesoemohadiani said in a statement.
Grab declined to comment on the GoTo announcement.
The Indonesian government considers the ride-hailing industry an important source of jobs and a vital part of the economy.
GoTo’s Gojek unit alone has partnered with more than 3.1 million riders, and together with Grab, it has dominated the Indonesian market for several years.
A combined entity would hold a market share of over 91% in Indonesia, according to data analytics company, Euromonitor International.
(Reporting by Sameer Manekar in Bengaluru and Yantoultra Ngui; Writing by Stefanno Sulaiman; Editing by Mrigank Dhaniwala)
