THE government must make it mandatory for e-hailing and p-hailing (motorcycle parcel delivery) companies to pay Social Security Organisation (Socso) contributions for their riders, said Rajiv Rishyakaran. 

The Bukit Gasing rep said this was to provide social security protection to employees and their dependents in the event of injury, disability or death. 

He added that although the concept of gig economy started as an option for supplementary income or part-time employment, many of these riders are now doing this work full-time out of necessity.

“Regardless, these people are putting their lives at risk everyday to serve the people and sustain the economy.

“If foreign workers can be covered under Socso, why can’t the Human Resources Ministry look into developing a better social protection mechanism for our own?” he said in a statement today.

He said about 400,000 gig economy workers have missed out the benefits of Socso as their employers need not contribute to the fund. 

“Instead, the onus has been set upon the employees themselves to register for the Self-Employment Social Security Scheme.

“Unfortunately, the take-up for the self-contribution option is very low, with only 18% registering when the option was presented in 2018.”

He added that e-hailing and p-hailing companies should actually bear the cost of protecting their employees as required of all other employers in the country, especially when this particular job is risky. 

“I strongly urge the Human Resources Ministry and the government to look into the significant roles of these e-hailing and p-hailing riders and make it mandatory for the companies to contribute to Socso for their riders,” he said. – March 4, 2021.