Stakeholders: Do not delay gig workers Bill any further
Malaysian Gig Community secretariat chairman Datuk Seri Mohd Sharkar Shamsudin said it has been more than two years since problems faced by gig workers were brought up by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi during the 2023 Umno assembly.
A commitment to resolve their issues was also made a year later by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim during the Bumiputra Economic congress.
'We need the law to develop an ecosystem for the industry while protecting gig workers, particularly those in the B40 group who lack a social security safety net,' Mohd Sharkar said when contacted yesterday.
Mohd Sharkar said that the proposed laws must include the creation of a Gig Workers Commission to ensure that issues related to the industry are handled through a multiple agency approach instead of being solely under the Human Resources Ministry.
'Currently, workers' welfare is handled by the Human Resources Ministry while permits and licences come under the Transport Ministry and Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC).
'As such, the commission should be parked under the Prime Minister's Office, which has the power to coordinate the relevant ministries to work together instead of in silos,' he said.
Mohd Sharkar said MPs from both sides of the political divide should support the Bill when it is tabled because it concerns the welfare of gig workers and their contribution to the nation's economic growth.
'It is not about politics but about safeguarding the future of gig workers, particularly those in the B40 group,' he added.
According to the Statistics Department (DOSM), there are more than three million own-account workers, mainly in the transport and delivery sectors.
The tabling of the Bill in Parliament was postponed in October and November last year and again in March this year after pushback from certain quarters.
Meanwhile, Malaysian e-hailing Association (GEM) chief activist Jose Rizal said that the industry has been operating without a clear legal framework over the past several years and laws to ensure its proper growth are urgently needed.
'Gig workers are the backbone of the country's digital economy, providing services to millions of people every day. Despite this contribution, their welfare is often neglected.
'They have no comprehensive social protection, no job security and no voice in shaping the industry's direction,' he said.
He said the proposed law must ensure that the government goes beyond merely regulating the industry but play a strategic role in its development.
'If done correctly, the law will not only provide relief to millions of gig workers but also set a global example that Malaysia can develop a digital economy rooted in human values,' he added.
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