Socso Invalidity Scheme to protect foreign workers outside of work hours

PUTRAJAYA: Foreign workers in Malaysia will be offered the Invalidity Scheme (Skim Keilatan) under the Social Security Organisation (Socso) which provides protection outside of work, says Human Resources Minister Steven Sim.

He said the decision to expand the scheme for migrant workers would allow Socso to save about RM25.38mil annually in expenses to repatriate bodies to their home countries.

“As for now, foreign workers are only provided with the Employment Injury Scheme under Socso but not the Invalidity Scheme.

“Following today’s joint meeting, we have agreed that foreign workers would also be offered the Invalidity Scheme which would be 24-hour protection as opposed to the Employment Injury Scheme that only protects workers during working hours,” he told reporters at Menara Perkeso here yesterday.

Earlier, Sim and Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail co-chaired the joint meeting between both ministries on Migrant Workers Management.

Sim added that currently if there is death involving foreign workers in Malaysia, Socso would provide assistance to repatriate the body under its corporate social responsibility (CSR) programme.

“With this scheme, foreign workers will be able to receive a benefit of RM4,500 to cover the cost to send bodies to their home country,” he said.

The benefits under the Invalidity Scheme includes invalidity pension, invalidity grant and funeral benefits.

Sim also announced that the implementation of the multi-tier levy mechanism to reduce recruitment of foreign workers is slated to start next January.

“The aim of this mechanism is to provide incentives for the local economic sector to reduce their reliance on foreign labour while encouraging the recruitment of local talents.

“The implementation of the mechanism is expected to be in January as several details still need to be studied alongside the HR Ministry, Economy Ministry and other relevant agencies.

“This includes studying the threshold of the levy to be imposed before presenting it to the Cabinet,” he added.

On May 9, Sim said that the revenue from the multi-tier levy would be channelled to upskill local workers, particularly from small and medium enterprises (SMEs).

Meanwhile, Saifuddin Nasution said the project contractor of the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) – China Communications Construction (ECRL) Sdn Bhd – will be allowed to extend the timeline to bring in foreign workers despite the current May 31 deadline.