The retirement security gap among informal sector and gig economy workers remains a concern, with the government highlighting existing Employees Provident Fund (EPF) incentives aimed at encouraging voluntary savings among these groups.
Deputy Finance Minister Liew Chin Tong said the issue was raised by Members of Parliament during the winding-up debate on the SUHAKAM Annual Report 2024 in the Dewan Rakyat, particularly regarding social protection and retirement security for workers outside the formal employment sector.
He said the government remained committed to ensuring that the growing number of workers in the informal and gig economy sectors were not left without adequate retirement savings.
“With the increasing participation of Malaysians in this sector, the government is committed to ensuring that these groups are not left behind in having sufficient retirement savings,” Liew said during the winding-up speech.
He said the government would continue the i-Saraan programme under Budget 2026, which encourages informal workers to make voluntary contributions to EPF.
Through the programme, the government provides a matching incentive of 20% of an individual’s annual contribution, subject to a maximum of RM500 annually or RM5,000 over a lifetime, based on the stipulated terms and conditions.
Liew also highlighted the introduction of i-Saraan Plus by EPF in 2026, which focuses specifically on e-hailing and p-hailing workers operating through digital platforms.
Under the initiative, eligible workers can receive government matching incentives of up to RM600 annually or RM6,000 throughout their lifetime, subject to the applicable conditions.
The government is also reviewing mechanisms to widen retirement contribution coverage among informal and gig economy workers, to improve social protection and ensure more workers have sufficient savings for the future.
The issue was raised during the debate on the SUHAKAM Annual Report 2024, where lawmakers discussed the need to strengthen protection for workers in non-traditional employment arrangements.
Separately, Liew said the government allocated RM15.775 million in grants to SUHAKAM in 2025 for its overall operations, including the Office of the Children’s Commissioner, representing an increase of RM2.2 million from RM13.55 million in 2024.
