KUALA LUMPUR – The Human Resources Ministry is reviewing the Employees’ Social Security Act 1969 (Act 4) and the Employment Insurance System Act 2017 (Act 800) with a view to amending them to expand the coverage and improve social security protection for employees.
Its minister, V. Sivakumar said the ministry was now preparing a cabinet paper to be tabled to the cabinet.
“The decision to review and amend these two laws also aims to ensure a smooth process of applying for benefits and the delivery of social security benefits by the Social Security Organisation (Socso),” he said when speaking at the 2023 Socso Chinese New Year celebration here today.
Sivakumar said apart from improving existing Socso benefits, the ministry also plans to introduce protection not related to occupational disasters, maternity leave benefits, as well as protection for the elderly in line with Pakatan Harapan’s election manifesto.
In another matter, he said the ministry was targeting to get 500,000 women to register with the Housewives’ Social Security Scheme (SKSSR).
“The SKSSR is open to all housewives, full-time or not, married or single, as well as single mothers, if they have not yet reached the age of 54,” he said, adding that Socso had been instructed to promote the scheme by having more engagement and campaign activities to increase awareness among Malaysians on the importance of contributing to the scheme.
He said Malaysians should be proud as the country was the first in Asia and among the first four countries in the world to introduce a protection scheme for housewives.
A total of 160 guests, consisting of single mothers, orphans, and Socso beneficiaries in the Klang Valley, were feted at the event. – Bernama, January 19, 2023
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