PETALING JAYA: They make sure that their hearth and home runs like clockwork.
So there is a need to provide these full-time and even part-time housewives with social protection to safeguard their welfare against any domestic injury or invalidity which affects their household duties.
That’s the role of the Housewife Social Security Scheme (SKSSR) under the Housewives Social Security Bill.
The scheme is proposed to take effect starting Jan 1 next year.
SKSSR, which will be handled by the Social Security Organisation (Socso), will cover domestic injuries due to any incident while managing a household, including caring for dependents. This also includes invalidity that has been certified by a medical assessor.
The voluntary scheme also caters to divorcees, widows and single mothers, among others.
According to Socso, domestic injury benefit will include a medical and permanent disablement benefit while invalidity benefits will include a morbid allowance.
Both will include a funeral benefit, constant-attendance allowance and facilities for physical and vocational rehabilitation and dialysis.
The contribution for a period of 12 months is RM120 a year that is to be paid in advance on a basis of RM10 per month to ensure that the housewives meet the eligibility requirements to receive benefits.
This can also be paid by her husband, family or anyone including non-governmental organisations and the government.
Husbands who opt to contribute for their wives are bound by the “once in, always in” concept.
“If the husband chooses to pay the contributions for his wife, he is required to make the contributions before the protection period ends.
“If he fails to do so, the husband can be fined not more than RM10,000 or imprisoned not exceeding two years, or both, if convicted,” Socso said.
And if the husband and wife are divorced, or if he can no longer pay for his wife’s contribution due to loss of income or other reasons, he must notify Sosco at least 60 days before the protection period ends.
According to Socso, the age limit of 55 is set for the coverage to complement the i-Suri Programme under the Employees Provident Fund.
It is also to meet the government allocation of RM20mil under Budget 2022 to implement the scheme and ensure the sustainability of the fund to cover the long-term benefit payment of SKSSR, among others.
Nevertheless, Socso said that the proposed Act would be reviewed from time to time including the proposal to increase the age limit for the scheme or the presumed monthly income, which should be accompanied by higher contribution rate, bigger government allocation and the proposal to include househusbands.
The Bill to provide for voluntary insurance protection for some three million Malaysian housewives was passed in the Dewan Rakyat last Monday.
