MTUC calls for social protection scheme for non-occupational accidents

 

MTUC president Effendy Abdul Ghani said the scheme should include medical benefits, temporary and permanent disability assistance, and access to physiotherapy facilities. (Bernama pic)

PETALING JAYA: The Malaysian Trades Union Congress (MTUC) has called on the government to immediately introduce a social protection scheme for non-occupational accidents to better safeguard the interests of workers.

MTUC said the scheme should not be tied to employees’ wages or occupation and ensure the workers receive coverage for accidents that occur outside of their working hours or are unrelated to their jobs.

“The implementation of such a scheme has been long overdue.

“The scheme would be an improvement on the existing (social protection) scheme and would narrow the gap in providing social protection coverage for workers in the country,” MTUC president Effendy Abdul Ghani said in a statement.

Effendy Abdul Ghani.

He said various benefits should be included in the scheme, such as medical, temporary and permanent disability assistance, and access to physiotherapy facilities.

Effendy cited New Zealand, the US and Canada as examples of countries that have implemented similar schemes.

At present, the Social Security Organisation (Socso) offers a workplace disaster scheme that covers accidents at the workplace and en route, as well as for employees who suffer illness or are rendered permanently disabled as a result of their work.

Socso also offers the invalidity scheme, which provides 24-hour coverage to employees who suffer from invalidity or death due to any cause, regardless of their employment. - FMT