SINGAPORE (Bernama): Malaysia-Singapore cross-border workers have welcomed the government’s initiative to amend the Self-Employment Social Security Act 2017 to extend protection under Social Security Organisation (Perkeso) to those working abroad.
A logistics assistant at a service company in Singapore, Muhammad Amyrul Syahwan Abdullah, 23, described the move as timely, particularly amid current labour market uncertainties.
Amyrul, who commutes 49 kilometres daily by public transport to his workplace in Singapore, said Perkeso protection would help secure workers' futures.
"There have been many accident cases involving cross-border workers, and some of them do not have insurance coverage, either personally or through their employers," he told Bernama.
For Luqman Khafa, 27, the government initiative would help ease workers’ burden in the event of any misfortune.
"For someone who commutes by motorcycle, protection initiatives like this are a necessity… In addition, the welfare and fatigue of commuting workers should be given due attention,” he said, adding that he travels 35 kilometres daily by motorcycle from his home in Larkin, Johor, to his workplace in Singapore.
Meanwhile, Muhd Syafiq, 38, a Malaysian working in the pharmaceutical sector in Singapore, expressed hope that awareness among cross-border workers regarding risks and available protection would be improved.
"Awareness levels differ from person to person; some only become aware after experiencing an accident in Singapore, where we know treatment costs are high,” he said.
In conjunction with the 2026 National Labour Day celebration in Bukit Jalil, Kuala Lumpur, on Friday, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced that the government would amend the Self-Employment Social Security Act 2017 to cover Malaysians working abroad, beginning with Malaysia-Singapore cross-border workers.
The initiative is expected to benefit more than 480,000 workers who earn a living commuting across the Johor Causeway.
In his speech, Anwar said that, on average, one Malaysian life is lost every week, or 54 deaths annually, among this group of cross-border workers.
He added that the government would therefore amend the Self-Employment Social Security Act 2017 to expand such protection.
-- BERNAMA
