Socso’s invalidity scheme to cover migrant workers, says Sim

 

Human resources minister Steven Sim says the updated Socso invalidity scheme will save the organisation more than RM25 million a year.

PUTRAJAYA: The Social Security Organisation’s (Socso) invalidity scheme will be expanded to cover migrant workers, human resources minister Steven Sim said.

“Currently, local workers are covered by both employment disaster and invalidity schemes, but migrant workers are only covered by the former.

“The meeting today agreed to expand the invalidity scheme to migrant workers,” he said in a press conference, after co-chairing the committee of migrant workers management meeting with home minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail here.

The scheme will include invalidity pension, funeral benefits and facilities for physical rehabilitation.

Sim said that previously, Socso assisted migrant workers through corporate social responsibility, but with the scheme widened to include them, the organisation will save RM25.3 million annually.

CCCC gets extension to bring in workers for ECRL

Saifuddin said it was agreed at today’s meeting to give an extension to  China Communications Construction Company (CCCC), which is building the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL), to bring in workers based on its original quota.

“This is a high-impact project and they are sensitive about the timeline. The completion progress is now at 70%, so CCCC has been given the workers’ quota but it is tied to the expiry date.

“We agreed to extend the expiry date so that the project is not disrupted,” he said.

Saifuddin also said the country will reach the 15% migrant workers’ cap, outlined by the economy ministry, by the end of the year.

This percentage is drawn from the estimated 17.1 million Malaysian workforce, he said. - FMT