NIBONG TEBAL: The Human Resources Ministry will table a policy paper for establishing a Gig Workers Commission to the Cabinet.
Its minister Steven Sim Chee Keong said a preliminary study report on the proposed commission was tabled in a Cabinet meeting two months ago to obtain feedback for improvement to the framework.
"After the tabling (the preliminary report) last month, it was returned for further enhancement, taking into consideration the input of Cabinet members.
"This month, maybe in a week or two, we will present a policy paper on the improvements to protect gig sector workers," he said, adding this covers three main aspects, namely better wage compensation, security protection and a complaint mechanism.
"This is only at the initial stage so it is subject to the Cabinet approval and may involve amendments to existing laws," he told reporters at the Launching of Sponsorship for Northern Zone E-hailing and P-hailing here on Monday (July 1).
Sim also said gig workers are not included in the definition of workers in the Employment Act 1955 and therefore any complaints cannot be made to the Labour Department.
He said the ministry will examine how to define or classify the group properly.
"Based on previous engagement sessions, they (gig workers) do not want to be defined as conventional workers," he said, adding that they would look at other countries regionally and globally and see what works best for the country.
Earlier, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim called for the creation of the Gig Workers Commission to be expedited to protect the rights of the 1.12 gig workers, many of whom are still young.
Meanwhile, Sim said as of June 21, 648,657 individuals had contributed to the Self-Employed Social Security Scheme (SKSPS).
Of that number, 5,787 e-hailing and p-hailing drivers in the northern region are active contributors. – Bernama
