PETALING JAYA: The Social Security Organisation (PERKESO) has paid out RM16.67mil under its Lindung 24 Jam accident scheme in its first four months, with an average of 85 claims each day.
Its group chief executive officer Datuk Seri Dr Mohammed Azman Aziz Mohammed said the scheme received 10,424 claims between June 1 and Sept 30, and paid benefits to 8,611 recipients, including contributors and their dependants.
The payouts covered temporary and permanent disablement, medical costs, funeral management benefits and rehabilitation equipment, he said in an interview.
Lindung 24 Jam, formally known as Skim Kemalangan Bukan Bencana Kerja, covers accidents outside working hours, including those at home.
It began on June 1 as a compulsory deduction from workers’ salary, before the government made it voluntary for Malaysians on July 8 after complaints about the cost.
After the opt out deadline of Aug 31, 12.4% of PERKESO contributors did so, with the remaining 8.5 million workers, or 87.6% of those eligible, remain registered and still contributing.
Azman said the concern now rests with those who left, as 52% of those who opted out consisted of those considered low-income earners or earning below RM3,500.
Lower-income workers file the bulk of off-work accident claims, he said, with 74% of those who filed claims due to accidents outside of work consisted of those earning RM3,500 and below.
“An accident that stops such a worker from earning, especially for a long period, can threaten the household’s financial footing,” Azman said, adding that the temporary disablement benefit is calculated based on a worker’s wages in the months before the accident, with a worker drawing RM6,000 a month will get a compensation of RM95.20 a day, or 1.54%.
Those who were hurt in June, or the scheme’s first month, had no earlier contribution month on record, so their benefit defaulted to a floor of RM18 a day, regardless of salary.
The benefit replaces income during medical leave, when an employer does not pay wages, Azman said, adding that PERKESO also separately covers the cost of treatment and rehabilitation.
To claim, a worker files through the LINDUNG Faedah portal at lindungfaedah.perkeso.gov.my or at a PERKESO office, with supporting documents including medical certification and, where relevant, a police report.
However, the scheme does not cover illness, injuries from crime or self-harm, accidents abroad, or accidents suffered while a worker is not an active contributor.
Workers who opted out can rejoin at any time through the same portal, Azman said, with no need to wait for a special window, and PERKESO is urging them to reconsider, with Budget 2027 providing an extra RM150 a year in tax relief to offset the cost of staying protected.
“PERKESO is encouraging those who opted out to reconsider their decision since accidents can happen anytime, especially during daily activities outside working hours,” he said.
Workers unsure of their status can check whether they are still covered through the portal or at any PERKESO office.
