Dining with the minister: Sim (second from right) attending his ministry’s and HRD Corp’s buka puasa event with (from left) Ng, Chan, Human Resources Ministry deputy secretary-general (policy and international) Dr Mohd Shaharin Umar, HRD Corp CEO Datuk Shahul Hameed Dawood and Bernama chairman Datuk Seri Wong Chun Wai. — ART CHEN/The Star
Media firms only cover remaining 30% of scheme, says minister
KUALA LUMPUR: Media companies should take a more active role in supporting their part-time workers by contributing to the government’s protection scheme, says Steven Sim.
The Human Resources Minister said the Self-Employment Social Security Scheme (SKSPS) was created under PERKESO to protect individuals who are self-employed under the provisions of the Self-Employment Social Security Act 2017.
“The government already subsidises 70% of the cost, so we ask media companies to cover the remaining 30%,” he told the media after a breaking of fast event by the ministry and HRD Corp here yesterday.
Sim said the SKSPS protection scheme is specifically designed for self-employed individuals, including part-time journalists, stringers, photographers and videographers.
“Last year, the programme saw approximately 700 contributors from the media sector and 500 from the photography sector.
“This scheme provides a social safety net for part-time media employees, especially those who frequently travel to cover events,” he said.
In addition to these immediate measures, Sim said the forthcoming Gig Workers Bill is set to extend protections to media workers.
“With this, we can address issues such as grievances and social security concerns without solely relying on the goodwill of employers,” he said.
Also present were Star Media Group (SMG) group chief executive officer Chan Seng Fatt and SMG chief content officer Datin Paduka Esther Ng.
Sim also addressed concerns from employers regarding the Bill, which was supposed to be tabled in the last Dewan Rakyat meeting, attributing them to PERKESO contributions and potential business costs.
“Maybe they are not aware of this plan.
“PERKESO will cover the cost of integrating platform applications with the employers’ system by using API (Application Programming Interface) method.
“No additional fees will be imposed on them, except there may be complying cost, where they can’t simply terminate a worker unilaterally,” he said, adding that more than 20 engagement sessions involving over 3,000 stakeholders have been conducted nationwide.
Acknowledging the concerns, Sim highlighted the government’s commitment to ensuring the new legislation not only protects workers but also aligns with the government’s aspirations to develop the national economy.
“The Cabinet has instructed us to postpone the tabling to allow for continued stakeholder engagement, with the expectation of presenting it in the next parliamentary session,” he said.
Sim noted that the ministry is restructuring its processes, including those of its agencies, which has improved efficiency by reducing bureaucratic procedures.
This includes the HRD Corp levy application processing time to just a day now, from the previous seven to 14 days.
“Now, we are aiming to approve it within an hour.
“Technology and digitalisation have been crucial in these improvements, and we encourage employers to utilise levies for training and development,” he added.
With the HRD Corp recording the highest levy collection in its history at about RM2.3bil last year, Sim said nearly 98% was approved for use, showcasing the government’s commitment to worker development.
“We don’t want employers to keep the money with us. We want them to use it for workers’ training,” he added.
