Self-Employed Will Be Required to Contribute to Socso

Soon, self-employed individuals in all industries will have to contribute to the Self-Employment Social Security Scheme (SKSPS).

Self-Employment Social Security Scheme (SKSPS)

Datuk Seri Dr Mohammed Azman Aziz Mohammed, chief executive officer of the Social Security Organisation (Socso), stated that mandatory contributions would be phased into all sectors, particularly those with increased risk, such as agriculture, animal husbandry, forestry, fisheries and transportation.

In a statement, he said the initiative would include strategic collaboration between the organisation and regulatory agencies, such as:

• Muda Agricultural Development Authority,

• Road Transport Department,

• Fisheries Development Board Malaysia

• National Film Development Corporation of Malaysia (Finas),

• Tekun National,

• Local authorities and others.

According to Azman, as of September 28th, 562,797 self-employed persons had enrolled under the scheme. He stated that the government would reimburse 80% of individuals who registered for the scheme's SKSPS contributions.

He also said that the government would continue to grant full contributions to self-employed workers who volunteer in public sectors such as the Malaysian Civil Defence Force and the People's Volunteer Corps.

The schedule of contributions for SKSPS.

Employment Incentive Programme

Meanwhile, Azman stated that the government had allocated RM150 million to Sosco to implement the Employment Incentive Programme, which will generate career chances for approximately 70,000 job seekers countrywide.

He stated that Socso had introduced several new employment categories for employers to select from, including: 

• Those aged 18 to 30 who have been unemployed for three months; 

• Job seekers in the digital sector, information and communication technology, and 

• Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) graduates.

According to him, Socso will provide an incentive ranging from RM600 to RM750 a month for three months to employers who hire workers from the target group, such as:

• Persons with disabilities (PwD),

• Women,

• Military retirees,

• Former prisoners,

• Indigenous people, and

• Workers from the tourism sector.

There is also a new category whereby government-linked companies (GLCs) can appoint elderly workers to share their experiences and allow them to generate income.

Azman said the employment initiative also permits businesses to replace foreign workers with Malaysians through the Malaysianisation programme. Azman stated that job seekers who secured employment through the hiring incentive programme might request mobility assistance. 

He further stated that people who sought work outside of their home state would receive RM500, and workers travelling from Sabah or Sarawak to Peninsular Malaysia, or vice versa, would receive RM1,000.

The Human Resource Development Corporation (HRD Corp) and Socso would also create the National Placement Centre in the Klang Valley, which would serve as a one-stop shop and a lifelong learning facility for graduates seeking exposure to the present labour market.

He added that the centre would adopt the concept of "experiential learning", which also provides job-matching services and recommendations based on the worker's skill gap. 

The benefits under SKSPS.

Socso Health Screening programme

Azman stated that Sosco was also in charge of employee health screenings. Socso's Health Screening programme seeks to offer early detection of non-communicable diseases and allow for proactive action for employee healthcare.

Through the health screening programme, eligible Socso contributors aged 40 and above will have the option to undergo health screenings.

The government allocation of RM80mil via the 2023 Budget improves the programme by providing additional screenings to detect and prevent critical diseases. He also said the initiative would benefit 2.3 million workers.

Source: The Star

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