The Ministry of Human Resources is considering raising the age limit for housewife’s who can receive social security to 60 from the current age limit of 55. At the same time the Ministry has also announced that 12,500 women under its purview, including all departments and agencies, will receive free contributions to the Self-Employment Social Security Scheme. This initiative also extends to male employees contributing on behalf of their wives, as an expression of love and appreciation.
Minister of Human Resources, Steven Sim Chee Keong, highlighted that this idea marks an important step for MOHR and hopes it sets an example of how women, especially those working as homemakers, are valued.
He emphasised that homemakers are integral to the care economy, contributing significantly to the nation’s development. This announcement comes in conjunction with the celebration of Women’s Day within KESUMA.
Additionally, Steven Sim mentioned that KESUMA is currently studying and refining amendments to the age limit for SKSSR eligibility, potentially raising it from 55 to 60 years.
This adjustment could enable an additional 720,600 women to qualify for SKSSR contributions. Since its introduction in 2022, 205,000 women have successfully contributed to SKSSR as of 2023. For 2024, PERKESO aims to target 500,000 women.
