Gig workers bill to be tabled in parliament by September, says Ahmad Zahid
Speaking after the Sharing Economy and Gig Industry Roundtable Session, Ahmad Zahid highlighted that the bill would be the first of its kind globally, offering dedicated protections for over 1.12 million Malaysians engaged in the sector.
'Several countries have amended existing laws to include gig workers, but Malaysia is introducing a new act specifically for this industry,' he said.
The bill aligns with efforts to build a fair, inclusive, and resilient future economy. Ahmad Zahid noted that the International Labour Organisation (ILO) has shown interest in learning from Malaysia's approach in drafting the legislation.
This was conveyed by Malaysian Gig Community Secretariat chairman Datuk Seri Mohd Sharkar Shamsudin, who is currently in Geneva to discuss the bill with the ILO.
Additionally, the soon-to-be-established Malaysian Gig Economy Commission (SEGiM) will play a crucial role in the national gig economy ecosystem. The commission, under the Prime Minister's Department, will oversee implementation, coordination, and compliance within the sector.
'SEGiM will strengthen self-regulation among platform providers while ensuring transparent policy enforcement,' Ahmad Zahid said.
The Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation will continue as the technical secretariat, consolidating industry feedback and coordinating with the Human Resource Ministry.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim had earlier assured that all welfare concerns for gig workers would be addressed through the bill.
Also present at the session were Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said and Deputy Human Resource Minister Datuk Seri Abdul Rahman Mohamad.
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