The Ministry of Human Resources (Kesuma) is prioritising workers’ social security protection in implementing its 3K mission — to raise the welfare, skills and productivity of employees.
Kesuma minister Steven Sim Chee Keong said the strategy to improve the social security protection of workers under the Social Security Organisation (Socso) is divided into three stages including short, medium and long-term plans.
“For the short-term plan, Kesuma will improve the existing Socso policies based on the first reading of the act amendment in the Dewan Rakyat on March 26. This improvement will benefit 1.45 million workers where their protection benefits will increase by 20.2%. The related act amendments will be implemented this year,” he said in a statement today (Apr 1).
He said for the medium-term plan, the ministry will step up the promotion campaign of Socso’s social security scheme to more workers in the gig and care sectors.
Sim said in that regard, Kesuma’s target is to achieve at least 1,000,000 contributors to the Self-Employment Social Security Scheme (SKSPS) of Socso this year.
“Besides gig sector workers, workers in the care economy sector will be the focus of Kesuma in 2024 as this sector has been underestimated in terms of its economic contribution for a long time.
“Kesuma also wants to provide social security protection to the workers of the care economy sector, most of whom are housewives. Therefore, Kesuma’s target is to reach at least 500,000 housewives this year compared to 200,000 last year,” Bernama reported him saying today.
The long-term plan is to implement a more comprehensive national social security protection system through two components, namely the provision of 24-hour social security protection for workers and rehabilitation services as a more comprehensive social security protection.
“This 24-hour social security protection is able to ensure better survival in the event of an accident to an employee, thus complementing the existing welfare service and health service system.
“In order to provide a more comprehensive service and reduce operating costs, Socso will establish at least one dialysis centre in each state within a three-year period,” he added.
