A new employment law to protect gig economy workers in Malaysia is in the pipeline and expected to be tabled in the Dewan Rakyat by the end of the year. Human Resources Minister Steven Sim said that the ministry is in the process of drafting the Act that will protect gig workers comprising four aspects: definitions, wages and salaries, grievance mechanism and social protection.
“This proposed Act will be submitted to the Cabinet soon and is expected to be tabled in the Dewan Rakyat before the end of this year,” he said. “For the drafting of an Act related to the establishment of the Malaysian Gig Economy Commission (SEGiM), the government through the high-level committee (chaired by the Deputy Prime Minister) will later assess the financial implications involved. “A detailed assessment of establishment and operational costs will be carried out to ensure that all financial aspects are carefully and comprehensively taken into account,” said Sim.
On March 2, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced the formation of the commission to protect and safeguard the welfare of gig workers in the country. In May, the ministry said an interim report by the commission will be presented to the Cabinet this month with the final report to be tabled in August.
