PETALING JAYA: The insurance protection scheme for housewives provides recognition to those who do housework and will boost women’s protection, say women groups and leaders.
Petaling Jaya MP Maria Chin Abdullah said she was supportive of the move as it does not treat household chores as invisible work.
“It gives women working from home some social protection and that’s a boost (for women),” she said when contacted.
Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri M. Saravanan said the insurance scheme for housewives would be available to cover any mishaps occurring in the household starting Dec 1.
He said the scheme would be managed by the Social Security Organisation (Socso) and only provide coverage for housewives for now.
Chin also said there needs to be greater public awareness of this new initiative.
“This is to ensure that women know all the correct information,” she added.
Women’s Aid Organisation deputy executive director Yu Ren Chung said the insurance scheme should also be extended to househusbands.“In reality, more women than men are homemakers – more so in Malaysia – so it makes sense to target women.
“But on the other hand, this would exclude house husbands who could benefit and additionally, could reinforce gender roles that benefit men overall,” he said.
Selangor Friends of Women Association executive director Irene Xavier said housewives should take advantage of the insurance scheme.
She said it was also important that the money or compensation for the wife goes into her own account and not that of the husband.
Wanita Umno deputy chief Datuk Norliza Abdul Rahim also fully supported the initiative that protects the welfare of housewives.
She said the government should conduct a study to get the full statistics on whether the scheme should be extended to househusbands.
On July 26, the Dewan Rakyat passed the Housewives Social Security Bill, which allows husbands to voluntarily contribute to the scheme for their wives.
The scheme, which provides social security protection to housewives below the age of 55, offers insurance coverage of between RM300 and RM50,000, depending on the seriousness of the injuries sustained.
Under the scheme, husbands can choose to pay the contribution for their wives, which amounts to RM120, paid in advance to Sosco for a 12-month protection period.
The contributions could be made through salary deductions by the employers of the husbands.
A husband who has voluntarily registered for the scheme but fails to contribute to his wife could face a RM10,000 fine.
However, a husband could escape liability if he informs Socso in writing that he is unable to make the contributions due to the loss of income or other reasons.
