Many part-time media practitioners lack Socso protection

KUALA LUMPUR: Many part-time media practitioners as well as those working on their own do not have social security protection, said Social Security Organisation (Socso) self-employment injury scheme division head Mohamad Haron Othman.

He said this, among other things, is due to a lack of awareness about the importance of getting social security protection on top of the affordability factor.

"Then there are those who can afford it but think this protection is not important.

"We are trying to help them so that when a disaster occurs, they or their families have some money to use," he said during the Apa Khabar Malaysia episode titled Socso for Part-Time Media and Creative Practitioners produced by Bernama TV here on Friday (March 1).

He said for part-time media practitioners, the Communications and Human Resources ministries together with Socso have provided comprehensive welfare protection through the Self-Employed Social Security Scheme (SKSPS).

He said they only need to contribute RM23 a year or 10% of the original contribution rate, while the other 90% is paid by the government to enable them to be protected in the event of a disaster.

The SKSPS scheme, he said, offers eight benefits to contributors which consisted of medical, temporary disability, permanent disability, dependents, management of deceased, education loan, regular service allowance and physical or vocational rehabilitation facilities.

In the meantime, he also thanked Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil for caring about the problems faced by media practitioners and for actively looking for solutions.

In addition, Socso is also actively holding engagement sessions with stakeholders in the creative industry to publicise the importance of this contribution.

"We will also make drafting several MOUs with agencies under the Communications Ministry, including the National Film Development Corporation Malaysia (Finas)," he said. – Bernama