This article first appeared in The Edge Malaysia Weekly on February 23, 2026 - March 1, 2026

A sandbox environment for gig platform providers to test their system integration with the mandates of the Gig Workers Act 2025 has been finalised and will be validated during technical discussion sessions starting this month, says Minister of Human Resources Datuk Seri Ramanan Ramakrishnan, amid industry concerns about compliance readiness and technical ambiguities in the newly gazetted law.

The sandbox will provide these platform providers with a structured and comprehensive testing framework to support their system integration efforts, he adds.

“The Ministry of Human Resources, through Socso (Social Security Organisation), recognises that platform providers require clear technical documentation, structured briefings and access to testing environments to ensure smooth system integration,” Ramanan tells The Edge in a written statement.

Digital Edge in its cover story, “Gaps remain in gazetted Gig Workers Act” (Issue 1613, Feb 9), highlighted the woes of industry players — from platform providers to gig workers — who lamented that the Act had been hurriedly passed and could potentially harm the industry more than facilitate its growth. Industry players had called for the setting up of a sandbox — an idea that was said to have been proposed to the ministry before the legislation was passed in parliament — and sought clarity on some of the technical requirements needed to adapt to the stipulations in the legislation.

Referring to industry claims that only major players like Grab Holdings Inc were consulted, Ramanan clarifies that Socso has been actively conducting one-to-one engagement sessions with various platform providers since March 2025. He says Socso reached out to discuss system integration, including the requirements for the application programming interface (API), technical processes and operational readiness.

“These engagements are ongoing to ensure that platform-specific issues can be identified and addressed in a timely and effective manner. Through this phased and collaborative approach, Socso remains committed to maintaining close cooperation with all platform providers and ensuring a smooth and orderly integration process,” he adds.

API documentation has been made available since March 2025 to allow early preparation and implementation planning, says Ramanan, adding that the ministry aims to complete integration with all the relevant platforms before enforcement begins in order to minimise disruption and support timely compliance.

Under the new law, platform providers are legally obligated to integrate automatic contribution deductions for Socso directly from worker earnings. However, the most glaring issue pertains to the current structure of Socso contributions.

In the Digital Edge story, Francesca Chia, co-founder and CEO of GoGet, explains that under the new framework, gig work is divided into 28 distinct categories based on job types, failing to account for the fluid nature of modern gig work, where a single individual often performs multiple types of tasks and across multiple gig platforms.

At the cost of RM13.10 per package for a month, a worker performing tasks across different sectors is effectively penalised for his versatility.

Addressing this, Ramanan says Socso has introduced contribution plans to provide flexibility, allowing gig workers to select a plan based on their insured income level. This ensures that gig workers receive appropriate protection according to their earnings, while maintaining fairness and consistency in contribution and benefit calculations.

“At this stage, the proposed contribution mechanism is based on each order completed. This means a small portion is deducted from every order as a contribution, and these deductions continue until the required amount for the monthly contribution is fully met. This approach also helps accommodate gig workers with irregular or part-time income,” he adds.

When asked whether gig platform providers will be given leeway for API integration work, Ramanan says the government will adopt a proportionate approach similar to the introduction of the Self-Employed Social Security Scheme (Lindung Kendiri).

“The approach focused on registration, awareness and cooperation, with enforcement implemented gradually and proportionately, particularly where new systems and processes were involved. The same principle will be applied in this case, and any transition arrangements or flexibility will be clearly communicated to platform providers,” he explains.

The Gig Workers Act 2025, which was passed by parliament in August last year, aims to provide statutory safeguards and social protection for more than 1.2 million gig workers in the country.

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