Taxi and e-hailing drivers must sign up with Socso from next month

IPOH: Taxi and e-hailing drivers must register and contribute towards Socso from next month following poor response with only 5% of them covered by the scheme.

Human Resource Minister M. Kulasegaran said those who failed to do so risk having their licences not renewed.

He said it was in discussion with the Transport Ministry to fine-tune the best mechanism in tackling the issue.

“Probably these drivers would have to show proof that contribution is being made to Socso before their licences or registrations as taxi or e-hailing drivers are renewed.

“We have laws that we can use to take action against these drivers but we are not resorting to that as yet,” he told reporters after opening the state Socso’s seminar with the community leaders here yesterday.

Kulasegaran said the ministry had met with the associations for their cooperation in getting their members to register with Socso.

He said currently, only 5,197 out of the estimated 100,000 of drivers - around 5% - were covered under the scheme.

Under the scheme, drivers contribute between RM157.20 and RM592.80 per year to Socso.

“Most of the time, the drivers are on the road where accidents and disasters could happen.

“But if they are not covered by Socso, the drivers and their families are unable to make any claim,” he said.

The drivers, added Kulasegaran, had initially asked to be covered by Socso.

“But when the scheme is in place, the response is lukewarm,” he said.