KUALA LUMPUR: The 24-hour social security protection, under amendments to the Employees’ Social Security Act 1969 (Act 4), is set to be tabled in the upcoming Parliament session which begins tomorrow.
Human Resources Minister Steven Sim (pic)said the amendment is crucial to ensure workers under the Social Security Organisation (PERKESO) remain protected beyond official working hours, in line with the realities of modern and flexible work arrangements.
“The amendment will guarantee continued protection for workers outside office hours, reflecting the evolving nature of today’s workplace,” he said in a statement yesterday.
He said the move demonstrates the government’s commitment to strengthen a comprehensive social security system for all Malaysians, particularly workers, in line with the nation’s aspiration to be a global leader in social protection, Bernama reported.
Sim said between 2015 and 2025, Malaysia recorded a 63% increase in the number of workers covered under social security, alongside a rise in the maximum benefits paid to insured persons, from RM2,655 in 2015 to RM5,355 this year.
He said Malaysia is among the few countries in the world to extend social protection coverage to housewives through initiatives such as the Lindung Kasih scheme and the Employees Provident Fund’s (EPF) i-Suri programme, which have collectively benefited more than 500,000 housewives as of 2024.
The recently passed Gig Workers Bill, he said, marks another milestone in strengthening protection for gig economy workers, in line with the government’s policy of ensuring no worker is excluded from the national social safety net.
