KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia will soon introduce the Non-Employment Injury Scheme to ensure workers are protected beyond office hours.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced the initiative during his keynote speech at the World Social Security Forum 2025.
He explained that the scheme stems from a realisation that work pressures do not stop at the factory gate or office door.
“In an age of flexible and remote arrangements, this reform will align protection with the realities of how people live and work today,“ Anwar said.
“And crucially, it will extend coverage around the clock, recognising that accidents and injuries do not keep to a timetable.”
The announcement follows Human Resources Minister Steven Sim Chee Keong’s earlier statement this month about drafting amendments to the Employees’ Social Security Act 1969.
These amendments aim to provide 24-hour social security protection for employees under the Social Security Organisation.
Anwar emphasised that Malaysia is embedding digital systems to deliver protection more effectively.
He stated that no community, however remote, should be left unseen through these improvements.
“Progress is ongoing, though far from perfect,“ Anwar acknowledged.
“But the conviction that guides us is clear: true prosperity is not measured by the size of our skyscrapers or gross domestic product but by the dignity with which ordinary citizens live their daily lives.”
The Prime Minister described social protection as a moral infrastructure rather than a bureaucratic system of benefits.
He referenced historical precedents, noting that earlier civilisations understood this principle through systems like the Islamic baitulmal.
“That legacy of justice and solidarity continues to inspire us,“ Anwar added.
Guided by these principles, Malaysia is reshaping its social protection to extend security to those previously excluded.
The extension will cover informal workers, homemakers and gig economy riders who have long stood outside the protection net.
The World Social Security Forum 2025 gathered over 1,500 participants from more than 135 countries.
The five-day event, themed “Shaping Social Security For A World In Transition”, discusses a global roadmap for inclusive social security systems.
The forum will culminate in the World Social Security Summit on Friday, where leaders will set directions for the next decade of social security worldwide. – Bernama
