KUALA LUMPUR: The next of kin of Muhammad Isa Muhammad Veeramohan, a Malaysian ship crew member reported to have fallen overboard and drowned while installing a pilot ladder in the waters of Chittagong, Bangladesh last Wednesday, are eligible to receive benefits from the Social Security Organisation (Socso).
Human Resources Minister Steven Sim Chee Keong said that a review found the 31-year-old crew member of MTT Sapangar to be an active contributor under the Employees’ Social Security Act 1969 (Act 4) since 2011.
Consequently, he said the parents of the deceased are entitled to receive Funeral Management Benefits and Dependent's Benefits as the deceased was unmarried.
"His parents, Muhammad Veeramohan Abdullah, 72, and Rabiah Buang, 61, will receive a one-time payment amounting to RM2,000 and will receive a monthly RM1,417.32 for their lifetime.
"The Ministry and Socso hope that the assistance provided will help the family continue their lives after the loss of the deceased," he said in a statement issued by Socso on Wednesday (May 15).
He said the Human Resources Ministry and Socso also expressed their appreciation to the National Union of Seafarers of Peninsular Malaysia which that assisted with information gathering of the incident.
The statement also informed that the Skuad Perkeso Prihatin visited the residence of the heirs in Kampung Raja Uda, Port Klang to hand over the payment and present a care box.
Earlier, the media reported that the victim's body was found by rescue teams on May 10, two days after he was reported to have fallen overboard on May 8 at around 8.15am. The incident was reported to have occurred a day after the ship arrived in the waters of Chittagong from Singapore. - Bernama
