Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail has said that about 13.7 million out of 15.19 million workers are not covered by any type of social security.
According to the Deputy Prime Minister, this figure is alarming and needs to be addressed immediately.
This situation stemmed from the creation of new types of work from the “Fourth Industrial Revolution”, also known as the Industry 4.0. These new types of work do not employ the same work models as traditional jobs, so the most of the workers remain uncovered by social security plans.
Therefore, Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah has called for the Social Security Organisation (SOCSO) to extend the coverage to all workers – including those from the new economy. She also said that workers from the informal sector and vulnerable groups should also be included in social security plans. These include people with disabilities, older persons, housewives, children, and others.
“The government is committed to extending the coverage of social security in the country to ensure Malaysians from all walks of life are covered by a sustainable and affordable social security system,” she said.
“To address this, we need to establish an integrated social security system where all social partners are able to share their data to ensure that the right benefits reach the right persons,”
“This way, all social partners in the country will be able to operate more efficiently in delivering social protection to the people,” she added.
