24-hour worker protection amendments to be tabled in Parliament
KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 4 — Amendments to the Employees’ Social Security Act 1969 (Act 4) to introduce 24-hour protection for workers under the Social Security Organisation (Perkeso) are scheduled to be tabled in the upcoming Parliament session.
Human Resources Minister Steven Sim Chee Keong said the amendment is crucial to ensure workers remain protected beyond official working hours, in line with the realities of modern and flexible work arrangements.
“The amendment will guarantee continued protection for workers outside office hours, reflecting the evolving nature of today’s workplace,” he said in a statement today.
He said the move demonstrates the government’s commitment to strengthening a comprehensive social security system for all Malaysians, particularly workers, in line with the nation’s aspiration to be a global leader in social protection.
According to the Parliament website, the Third Meeting of the Fourth Session of the 15th Parliament will convene from this Monday until Dec 4.Sim said that between 2015 and 2025, Malaysia recorded a 63 per cent increase in the number of workers covered under social security, alongside a rise in the maximum benefits paid to insured persons, from RM2,655 in 2015 to RM5,355 this year.
He said Malaysia is among the few countries in the world to extend social protection coverage to housewives through initiatives such as the ‘Lindung Kasih’ scheme and the Employees Provident Fund’s (EPF) i-Suri programme, which have collectively benefited more than 500,000 housewives as of 2024.
The recently passed Gig Workers Bill, he added, marks another milestone in strengthening protection for gig economy workers, in line with the MADANI Government’s policy of ensuring no worker is excluded from the national social safety net.
Meanwhile, Sim congratulated Perkeso, EPF, Kumpulan Wang Persaraan (Diperbadankan) [KWAP] and the Implementation Coordination Unit of the Prime Minister’s Department (ICU JPM) for successfully hosting the World Social Security Forum (WSSF) and the International Social Security Association (ISSA) meetings in Kuala Lumpur recently.
He also extended his appreciation to Perkeso Chief Executive Datuk Seri Dr Mohammed Azman Aziz Mohammed, who was re-elected as ISSA President for the 2026–2028 term — a testament, he said, to the international community’s confidence in Malaysia’s leadership and expertise in social security.
