Human resources minister Steven Sim said the extension was prompted by the encouraging number of registrations received from employers.

“We will extend the amnesty period for employers to register their employees for Socso contribution until June 30,” he told a press conference here today.

Sim said Socso recorded a 13.7% increase in new registrations from 5,824 employers from May 15 to 26 compared to the same period in April.

Previously, it was announced that Socso had granted employers a two-week amnesty, from May 15 to 31, to register their workers with the organisation.

On May 15, Socso also announced the launch of Ops Kesan in June to identify employers who had failed to register their employees.

Failure to comply would result in fines of up to RM5,000 and a 6% per annum interest on late payment charges for each day the contribution is overdue.

Employers may also be taken to court and, if found guilty, may be fined up to RM10,000, imprisoned for up to two years, or both.

Sim said Socso was redoubling its efforts to increase awareness among employers by conducting more visits to business premises and distributing pamphlets.

“Perhaps most small and medium-sized enterprises do not see the importance of Socso contributions as the amount is too small. However, they should understand that the benefits for employees are immense,” he said.