PUTRAJAYA plans to table a bill to regulate the gig economy in the next parliamentary sitting in March, said Human Resources Minister M. Kula Segaran.

“We have already got the necessary policy approval from the cabinet,” he said at the Employment Law Reforms: What Lies Ahead seminar today.

“I have been made to understand by my legal division that in a week or two, I can present the legislation to be approved by the cabinet.”

A committee comprising the Youth and Sports, Human Resources, and Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministries was tasked with studying regulations for the gig economy.

Kula Segaran said gig workers should receive social security coverage and have their roles defined more clearly to demarcate the line between employers and employees.

On social security coverage, he said only about 18%, or 46,162, out of some 250,000 bus, taxi and e-hailing drivers are currently contributing to Socso’s Self-Employment Social Security Scheme.

He said awareness about the need for Socso protection was still low among workers.

“Malaysians should realise that for such a minimum payment, you get coverage. You should never think for yourself. Think about your family and others

“And how much is the coverage? For most of them, it’s not even 30 sen or 50 sen a day. It is not even a cost of a cigarette,” he said.

E-hailing and taxi drivers were included to the Socso self-employment scheme on November 1, 2018. – January 9, 2020.