KUALA LUMPUR: The upcoming Non-Employment Injury Scheme (SKBBK) will alleviate financial burdens for workers and reduce strain on the national healthcare system.
Human Resource Minister Steven Sim informed the Dewan Rakyat that PERKESO received over 538,000 employment injury claims between 2018 and August this year.
Nearly 27,000 claims were rejected during this period due to not meeting work-related accident criteria.
Sim stated that 87% of rejected claims resulted from cases not being classified as work-related accidents.
This situation leaves insured persons and their dependents ineligible for benefits while impacting their financial wellbeing.
The minister revealed that outstanding medical bills reached 360 million ringgit as of December 31, 2024, according to a recent audit report.
Sim responded to questions about providing 24-hour social security protection for all workers including shift, part-time and gig workers.
The SKBBK will be implemented under PERKESO to provide round-the-clock protection for eligible workers during their employment.
This coverage includes accidents occurring outside work that are not directly job-related.
PERKESO will cover medical bills for contributors involved in non-work-related accidents through the SKBBK implementation.
Regarding gig worker protection, Sim announced that coverage will begin immediately upon registration rather than after contribution payments.
The Gig Workers Bill ensures protection starts once a person registers as a gig worker, even before making any contributions.
This addresses previous limitations where gig workers only received coverage after actively contributing under the Self-Employment Social Security Act 2017.
Sim provided these clarifications in response to supplementary questions about gig economy worker protections. – Bernama