KESUMA COMMITTED TO ENSURING WORKERS' SAFETY AT WORKPLACE

KANGAR, Nov 3 (Bernama) -- The Ministry of Human Resources (KESUMA) is committed to ensuring the safety of workers at the workplace as part of its efforts to improve the welfare, skills and productivity of workers in the country.

Its minister, Steven Sim Chee Keong said for this purpose, the ministry has enforced eight labour laws in Malaysia, including laws related to the Social Security Organisation (Perkeso), and fully implemented the Occupational Safety and Health (Amendment) Act 2022 on June 1.

He said the Perkeso-related laws have enabled 1.5 million workers in the country to receive an additional 20 per cent in Perkeso benefits, while about 100 improvements under the Occupational Safety and Health Act have been introduced to create a safer workplace environment.

“I want every worker to be able to go to work at a conducive workplace each morning, work with dignity, receive a fair salary, benefits and respectable perks, and at the end of each workday, return home safely to be with their loved ones," he said in his speech during a working visit and launching of the Veteran MyWIRA Programme as well as the state-level Talent Development Programme at the Industrial Training Institute (ILP) in Kangar today.

“This is what we have been working on for the past 10 months, to enable our workers to receive greater recognition and appreciation.” 

Veteran MyWIRA, a career continuation programme, was launched on Jan 22. It is the result of a collaboration between KESUMA and the Defence Ministry, led by the respective agencies under the two ministries, namely TalentCorp and the Ex-Servicemen Affairs Corporation (PERHEBAT), while the Talent Development Programme is implemented by HRD Corp.

Meanwhile, Sim said he would be tabling a new legislation in December to safeguard the welfare of gig economy workers, such as e-hailing and p-hailing drivers.

“These workers are not protected under the existing Act because they are not defined as employees. Therefore, we are introducing a new legislation that is aligned with countries like Singapore, the United States and Australia.

“This is a step towards good governance, to grant rights to our workers. That is what we have been working on over the past eight to 10 months, to give dignity and humanity to our workforce,” he said.

At the same time, he urged KESUMA staff in Perlis to go to the ground, engage with workers, listen to them, observe their challenges firsthand, and do their best to help resolve issues.

-- BERNAMA