Cross-border worker protection plan set for tabling

Stepping stone: Ramanan (second from right), accompanied by PERKESO deputy chief executive (operations) Azirruan Arifin (centre), greeting jobseekers at the Madani Career Protection Carnival opening ceremony at the Setia Convention Hall, Setia Tropika in Johor Baru. — Bernama

JOHOR BARU: The process of tabling laws on the expanded Social Security Organisation (PERKESO) scheme to protect Malaysians working in Singapore is set to begin in Parliament today.

Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri R. Ramanan said the whole process is expected to last throughout the month-long Dewan Rakyat meeting.

“We expect the whole process to be done and passed by August, where PERKESO is ready to implement it from there,” Ramanan said after attending the Madani Career Protection Carnival yesterday.

He said the proposed amendments to the Self-Employment Social Security Act is set to benefit some 480,000 wor­kers who travel to and from Singapore daily.

Separately, Ramanan said Johor’s unemployment rate remains low at 2.4% in the first quarter of the year, compared to the national average of 2.9% in the same period.

“This reflects the state’s strong labour market and the effectiveness of various government initiatives to expand job opportunities for the people. 

“Johor also recorded a 71.6% labour force participation rate, which exceeded the national average of 70.9%,” Ramanan added.