KUALA LUMPUR (Feb 5): The government is expected to table a bill in Parliament this year to introduce a new employment injury scheme, said Deputy Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri Abdul Rahman Mohamad.

The 'Skim Kemalangan Bukan Bencana Kerja', aimed at providing comprehensive accident coverage, will cover accidents occurring within Malaysia outside of working hours, including non-work-related travel accidents. The scheme will be administered by the Social Security Organisation (Perkeso).

“We are in the process of drafting [the mechanism to determine eligibility],” Abdul Rahman said during the ministerial question time in the Dewan Rakyat on Wednesday. “We recognise that, until now, costs have only been covered during working hours.”

Some of the scheme’s benefits will include medical benefits, temporary or permanent disability benefits, and funeral management benefits.

Abdul Rahman was responding to a query from Datuk Seri Wee Ka Siong (BN-Ayer Hitam), who asked about the implementation mechanism of the scheme for protecting individuals affected by non-work-related accidents.

Wee also wanted to know the extent to which the scheme can address work-related and non-work-related risks, particularly in light of the increasing adoption of flexible work arrangements in Malaysia.

Abdul Rahman also highlighted that the scheme will cover gig workers. The implementation will serve as a social protection mechanism to address work- and non-work-related accident risks, particularly for employees with flexible work arrangements, he added.

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