KUALA LUMPUR: As the Social Security Organisation (PERKESO) commemorates its 50th anniversary with the theme ‘Attentive protection now and forever’, it reaffirmed its commitment towards ensuring the basic need of social security protection for employees and their dependants.
With the vision of being an outstanding, comprehensive and dynamic leader in social security, PERKESO has consistently delivered on its mission, in line with Malaysia’s ‘Bapa Pembangunan’ Tun Abdul Razak Hussein ideal of providing a comprehensive social security protection from ‘cradle to grave’ for the well-being of people from all layers of society.
Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri M. Saravanan
As Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri M. Saravanan congratulated the agency for its achievements since its establishment in 1971, he lauded PERKESO’s efforts to improve the country’s social security protection by introducing and implementing various initiatives and programmes.
“Looking back five decades ago, PERKESO was formed to administer social security protection for employees in the formal sector, but has since expanded its scope to also cover workers both from the non-formal sector, the self-employed, as well as foreign workers,” he said.
The agency started off by managing and executing the Occupational Injury Insurance Scheme (now known as the Employment Injury Scheme) and the Disability Scheme. In expanding its protection to the self-employed, PERKESO in June 2017 introduced the Self-Employment Social Security Scheme that now covers 20 self-employment sectors.
PERKESO also launched the Employment Insurance System in January 2018 to provide income continuity for those who have lost their jobs, as well as offer protection for foreign workers in the country and domestic workers such as maids, gardeners and personal drivers.
While acknowledging the tremendous impact of Covid-19 on the country, he said that the pandemic has nevertheless highlighted the vital significance of PERKESO.
In aiding employees survive in the time of the pandemic, he noted that PERKESO has also been mandated to take on a major role in executing important aspects in the Government’s economic stimulus packages.
Among the initiatives it spearheads include the Wage Subsidy Programme, PenjanaKerjaya, SIP Prihatin, PenjanaGig, SPS Lindung and the Employment Retention Programme. This is in addition to its own initiative, the Prihatin Screening Programme, in order to help the Government stop the spread of the Covid-19.
“I am proud that PERKESO, as one of the biggest organisations under the Human Resources Ministry, has excellently delivered on its responsibilities in helping citizens face the challenges arising from the pandemic, be it through the various incentives prepared by the Government or through its existing programmes,” he added.
Saravanan also provided reassurance that with the efforts undertaken by the Government, including initiatives executed by PERKESO as well as the high vaccination rates, the Malaysian economy is well on its way to recovery.
Stressing his hope to see the nation’s workforce rise and return to rebuilding careers, life and future, he also pledged his support to ensure that PERKESO continues its momentum to improve the quality of its service and expand its social security safety net to realise its vision and mission for Keluarga Malaysia (Malaysian Family) for the next 50 years and beyond.
Saravanan also called on employers and employees from all sectors, who have yet to contribute to PERKESO, to register and do so immediately.
Expanding social security protection
PERKESO chairman Prof Tan Sri Dr Mohamed Haniffa Abdullah shared that with PERKESO celebrating its golden jubilee anniversary amidst the challenges arising from Covid-19, it attests to the organisation’s significance in protecting and aiding Malaysian citizens, especially PERKESO contributors whose livelihoods have been affected by the pandemic.
PERKESO chairman Prof Tan Sri Dr Mohamed Haniffa Abdullah
“Our theme reflects PERKESO’s focus as a government agency with the aim of preparing a comprehensive social security net for all layers of society throughout the years,” he said.
Mohamed Haniffa emphasised the agency’s aspiration to continually provide the best quality service in line with its aim and objectives, which has resulted in accumulating more than seven million active contributors and more than 400,000 active employers contributing to social security protection nationwide.
“This large figure represents the hope and confidence of the public towards the social protection that we provide, as well as our commitment and determination in expanding social protection coverage to more workers,” he said.
He added that PERKESO protects the the workforce and their dependants through various protection schemes, while expanding its coverage through the years, is a manifestation of its commitment to benefit those under its protection.
Attentive protection for all
Meanwhile, in sharing his gratitude for all who have supported PERKESO throughout its journey thus far, the Organisation’s chief executive officer Datuk Seri Dr Mohammed Azman Aziz Mohammed said from the day PERKESO was established, its goal has always been to provide comprehensive social security protection to its contributors and the Malaysian public.
“As one of the first government agencies given the mandate to build a social security net for the nation, through the past five decades of its operations, PERKESO’s brand is well known among Malaysian citizens, what more when the country is being tested by the pandemic.
“The pandemic has really tested our capabilities in helping workers and employers in facing these challenges and I believe that we’ve done the best we can, at times even exceeding our own capabilities,” he added.
He said that everyone in PERKESO will thus be able to celebrate the agency’s 50th anniversary with pride and gratitude as they are able to serve the Malaysian Family, especially during the Covid-19 period.
Referring to the theme for its golden jubilee celebration, Dr Mohammed Azman said that being attentive is the soul of PERKESO.
“Being attentive leads each PERKESO staff to continuously work hard in providing the best, more than they should, to help contributors. As a social security protection organisation, our attentive values lead to us never feeling satisfied with our existing achievements, as there’s always room for improvement in everything we do, for the well-being of our contributors and their dependants.
PERKESO chief executive officer Datuk Seri Dr Mohammed Azman Aziz Mohammed.
“This attentive DNA embedded into the souls of all who work for Socso also spurs us to seek out and analyse which segments of Malaysian society has yet to receive protection and how we can structure new programmes so they can be protected as well,” he shares.
It is this attentiveness that has led to the creation of the Skuad Prihatin PERKESO (SPP) in 2016, which was created to bring the Organisation closer to its contributors by taking proactive steps to monitor news relating to accidents and deaths in mass media and social media platforms, in addition to sharing information from community representatives, leaders and the public.
Once such news is detected or received, SPP will instantly check the information of the accident victim or patient to see if the individual is qualified to receive PERKESO benefits. If they are, SPP will directly contact and channel the necessary aid to the contributor or their beneficiaries without them having to claim from PERKESO.
“All these efforts are done instantly to help lessen the burden of victims or their heirs. I believe that holding and practicing these attentive values will also ensure PERKESO remains relevant today and in the future as well. It will also ensure that no group gets left behind and will get social security protection in this country,” he explains.
PERKESO has evolved and made great strides since its establishment, with Dr Mohammed Azman pointing to the overall social security ecosystem in the country being comprehensive and responsive, which can be seen through the initiatives that have been introduced during the pandemic.
“The pandemic has shown how the Government, its agencies and other institutions have come together to cooperate in creating and executing various programmes and initiatives in combating issues related to the economy, health and social aspects for the well-being of all,” he said.
Even so, he stresses that there is room for improvement to better the social security system in Malaysia, for instance in ensuring there is no duplication of efforts or even more worryingly, aid being given to the undeserving.
This is why Dr Mohammed Azman said it is important to foster better coordination, collaboration and communication among all related agencies for optimised efficiency of the country’s resources.
In order to achieve this goal, PERKESO is taking the initiative to create a coordinating framework under the Social Synergy Programme.
“Socso’s responsibilities go beyond social security products, which has been proven by our transformation in line with the objective of our establishment to protect Malaysian citizens from any accidents at work and disabilities that can threaten the lives of an individual or their families.
“As such, our products and programmes are formed to help contributors continue their lives, after an accident or crisis,” he said.
In addition to PERKESO continuing its aid in the form of grants for contribution to lessen the burden of those self-employed, it will also partner with gig economy platform providers to share data on gig workers and standardise contribution collection through technology.
This, he says, will ensure that all individuals will not be neglected from receiving protection or benefits under PERKESO.
