Sources told FMT that the Skim Kemalangan Bukan Berpunca dari Pekerjaan (SKBBK), reputed to be a milestone achievement in the country’s social security system, was approved by the Cabinet in March this year.
However, Socso has yet to enact the scheme, leaving thousands of injured workers unprotected in 2024.
The SKBBK reflects the government’s foresight in addressing gaps in Malaysia’s social safety net, the source said.
“As work environments and worker lifestyles evolve, the government has shown an appreciation for the fact that risks faced by employees extend beyond the workplace.
“The scheme’s proactive design was meant to protect workers regardless of fault, filling an essential void in the current employment injury coverage framework,” the source, who declined to be named, said.
The scheme’s delayed implementation has sparked frustration among social security advocates, particularly as 3,098 workers who reportedly suffered injuries this year did not qualify to receive compensation under Socso’s employment injury scheme.
“Many of these individuals face the threat of disability and the risk of falling into poverty,” a leading workers’ rights advocate, who also asked not to be named, told FMT.
“The SKBBK scheme was intended as a breakthrough solution, but with each day of inaction, Socso puts these injured workers at risk of destitution,” he said.
Had it been implemented as envisioned, the SKBBK scheme would have offered affected workers financial relief and access to medical support during their recovery.
“Malaysia’s current employment injury scheme only covers incidents directly linked to work, leaving those hurt outside their professional duties without a safety net.
“As a result, workers in high-risk or low-wage jobs, who may struggle to afford private accident insurance, remain especially vulnerable,” he said.
Socso’s delay is prompting calls for transparency and urgency, with many requesting a public explanation for the lack of progress on SKBBK.
Economic and labour policy analysts said the cost of inaction does more than place financial strain on individuals.
“It could have a broader impact on national productivity and public health costs, as injured workers without resources struggle to return to the workforce,” one analyst, who asked not to be named, said.
The government’s foresight in approving SKBBK has been lauded as an important step forward for Malaysian workers’ rights, she told FMT.
“The initiative, when implemented, is bound to improve the nation’s labour standards, setting an example in the region. But the onus remains on Socso to deliver on this promise by turning policy into practice.”