MTUC chief slams sec-gen’s threat to protest Lindung 24/7
MTUC president denies that the Perkeso scheme was introduced without consulting stakeholders, says discussions have been ongoing since 2018.
Malaysian Trade Unions Congress (MTUC) President Abdul Halim Mansor rebuked his Secretary-General Kamarul Baharin Mansor for threatening a protest against Perkeso's Lindung 24/7 scheme. Halim expressed respect for the right to speak out, but disagreed with the picketing approach. He advocated for further dialogue with Perkeso and the government to address workers' concerns about the scheme.
Halim also disputed the idea that Lindung 24/7 was implemented without worker consultation. Previous discussions on expanding social security coverage for accidents outside work hours have been ongoing for years, with more than 1,400 people participating in 13 regional meetings since 2018. Halim remained open to further discussions on issues like contribution rates, implementation, and other concerns.
He defended the scheme, stating it addresses a long-standing gap in workers' protection, providing family security in the event of unwanted incidents outside work hours. The government made the scheme voluntary, allowing workers to decide whether to participate. Lindung 24/7 is fully funded by workers, with contributions starting at 0.75% of monthly wages, increasing to 1% in year three and 1.25% from the sixth year.
Employers remit the amount to Perkeso along with regular contributions, enabling eligible workers to receive coverage without additional policies. Kamarul announced pickets at Perkeso offices nationwide to protest Lindung 24/7's implementation and demand immediate talks with worker representatives.
Written by urgent.news from Free Malaysia Today's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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