Kasthuri Patto, who chairs the scheme’s committee, said the number of registrations achieved stood at 514,105, exceeding the target set by human resources minister Steven Sim last year.
“With this protection, housewives who previously lacked a financial safety net now enjoy better benefits in handling emergencies such as accidents, loss of income due to injury, or serious illness.
“The programme’s success highlights the importance of continuous support from the government, corporate sector, and society in strengthening the nation’s social protection system” Kasthuri told a press conference at Menara Perkeso here.
She said the housewives registered under the scheme consisted of three categories: 88% (452,781 women) from the eKasih aid programme for low-income groups, 9% (43,901) through voluntary contributions, and 3% (17,423) through sponsorship from 103 agencies.
Kasthuri also encouraged more companies to participate in the initiative under the Social Security Organisation, as they would benefit from tax reliefs.
“Despite this achievement, many housewives remain unregistered, either by their family members or the companies they work for,” she said, adding that more efforts would be made to raise awareness about the scheme.
Women who manage a household full-time or part-time – including working women – whether married, unmarried, wives, mothers, divorcees, widows, or single mothers, are eligible for the scheme.
Kasthuri also noted that since December 2022, the scheme had helped five women through rehabilitation programmes, allowing them to re-enter the care economy sector.
SKSSR, established under the Housewives’ Social Security Act 2022, aims to safeguard housewives from illnesses, accidents, and unforeseen circumstances that could result in permanent disability or incapacity that might impact their ability to manage the household.
SKSSR benefits include medical coverage, payments of up to RM30,000 in case of permanent disability, and a RM300 monthly allowance for homemakers who suffer from a permanent medical condition that prevents them from performing a majority of household chores.