Taxi driver K.Ragupathy registering for the Self-Employed Employment Injury Scheme during the promotional event by Socso and local Chinese radio station 988FM cruisers at Gurney Drive in Penang. - ZHAFARAN NASIB/The Star
SOCSO launched “Ops Patuh” in Aug 1 this year with the aim of identifying self-employed but unregistered Socso drivers of taxi, e-hailing service and buses.
In an interview with Socso chief executive officer Datuk Seri Dr Mohammed Azman Aziz Mohammed, he shared that currently over 58,000 drivers have signed up and contributed to the Self-Employed Social Security Scheme (SEEIS).
Of that total, over 21,000 drive taxis, about 33,000 are e-hailing and over 3,500, buses. SEEIS was provided for by the Self-Employment Social Security Act 2017 (Act 789).
The Act came into effect in June 2017 for taxi drivers, in November last year for e-hailing drivers and in February this year bus drivers.
Dr Mohammed Azman pointed out that before Socso launched the operation, only about 35,000 taxi drivers, e-hailing and buses were registered.
“While this recent significant increase is encouraging, it only represents 16.64% of the total number of drivers, who make up an estimated 350,000 nationwide, ” quoted Dr Mohammed Azman, adding that many have not registered or contributed due to the lack of awareness.
Since Act 789 was enforced, Socso has performed over 2,000 transactions involving taxi, e-hailing and bus associations nationwide.
Various publicity programmes were also conducted that involved the mass or social media. It has also distributed brochures to drive awareness of the importance of Socso contributions.
The two-year period granted to taxi drivers and e-hailing services to register and contribute is sufficient and it is time for Socso to enforce the provisions of the law under Act 789.
Socso chief executive officer Datuk Seri Dr Mohammed Azman Aziz Mohammed said self-employed taxi or e-hailing service drivers are covered under the SEEIS - BERNAMA
With a contribution as low as RM13.10 a month or 43sen a day, Dr Mohammed Azman outlined that these drivers are covered under the SEEIS, which provides eight types of benefits.
Firstly, Socso bears the full medical treatment cost should any contributor visits a Socso panel clinic, government clinic or hospital for a work-related injury.
Contributors also receive between RM30 to RM105.33 a day as sick leave compensation for work-related injuries, depending on their contributions.
Another benefit involves permanent disability, which Socso apportions out in scheduled payments or in bulk, depending on the contributor's disability assessment percentage.
Eligible contributors also receive a monthly allowance of RM500 if they are severely disabled with the need for more treatments as compared to others.
In addition, qualified dependents can receive regular payments throughout their lives should the contributor die due to a work accident.
Bereft dependents are also eligible for payments even after remarrying. A further sum of RM2,000 can also be claimed by the beneficiary for the contributor’s funerary services.
Socso also covers the contributor’s physiotherapies, implants, hemodialysis treatments and other recovery treatments, as well as provide rehabilitation equipment, vocational training and free treatment at the Socso Rehabilitation Centre.
Those who have recovered can then take part in Socso’s "Return To Work" (RTW) programme.
In the event of a disability, Socso also offers education loans or scholarships to contributor’s beneficiaries who qualify.
To date, over 1,200 inspections were conducted with more than 340 notices issued to unregistered drivers with enforcement and detection being carried out nationwide. Although there has not been a prosecution yet, the penalty is a fine up to RM10,000, serving two years in jail, or both.
Dr Mohammed Azman warned that Socso will not hesitate to act if the offender still refuses to register or pay for contribution after being issued a warning notice.
In a proactive move, Socso formed a Socso Concern Squad stationed at each office over the country, which can provide prompt assistance to contributors and dependents in the event of an incident or accident.
“These officials will ‘go down the field’ by visiting the contributor's residence to obtain necessary documents without waiting for them to come and make a claim, ” explained Dr Mohammed Azman.
