{
  "id": 14680638,
  "title": "When accident is off-duty but the financial pain isn't",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/15/when-accident-is-off-duty-but-the-financial-pain-isnt",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-15T11:28:19.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "New Straits Times",
    "slug": "new-straits-times",
    "url": "https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2026/10/1556287/when-accident-duty-financial-pain-isnt"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "In Malaysia, the LINDUNG 24 Jam scheme aims to provide financial protection for workers who sustain accidents outside of their workplace but still require time off from employment. The program, administered by PERKESO, was launched with the goal of addressing situations where an accident unrelated to one's job still impacts their ability to earn an income and support their household.\n\nDuring the scheme's first three months, PERKESO recorded 6,330 claims, with a total of RM9.97 million in benefits disbursed. These cases involved a wide range of accidents, including falls at home, hiking injuries, and cat bites. The common denominator in these incidents was not the location of the accident, but the fact that the worker was suddenly unable to return to their job, which is the primary source of their household income.\n\nThe first three months of claims also revealed that the majority of claimants were lower-income workers, with 74% earning less than RM3,500 per month. Edmund Cheong, PERKESO's deputy chief executive, emphasized that for these workers, being unable to work even for a short period can have severe financial consequences, potentially threatening their family's survival.\n\nDespite the scheme's reach, with 8.5 million workers out of a total workforce of around 10 million still enrolled, there are still challenges in getting workers to consider the risks. The monthly contribution is often seen as an additional deduction from their pay, rather than a safety net, and some workers believe they are unlikely to experience an off-work accident. Additionally, some workers are unaware that LINDUNG 24 Jam covers accidents occurring outside of working hours and unrelated to employment.\n\nThe scheme's claims data has revealed a significant number of accidents that occur during routine domestic and recreational activities, such as falls from ladders during home renovations, serious cat bites, and road accidents during personal travel. The volume of claims has increased sharply, with more than 4 times the number of claims filed in August compared to June.\n\nAs of September, 10,000 workers who had previously opted out had returned to the LINDUNG 24 Jam scheme. PERKESO attributes this increase in enrollment to a greater awareness of the risks associated with accidents occurring outside of work hours. By simplifying the process for workers to rejoin the scheme, more individuals have been able to consider the potential impact of an unexpected accident on their financial stability.",
  "summary": "FOR most workers, a workplace accident is easy enough to picture: a fall at a construction site, an injury involving machinery, a collision while making a delivery. But some accidents happen nowhere near the workplace and can still follow a worker straight back to it.",
  "key_points": [
    "LINDUNG 24 Jam scheme provides financial protection for workers injured off-duty.",
    "RM9.97 million disbursed in benefits during first three months of the scheme.",
    "74% of claimants earn less than RM3,500 per month, highlighting financial risk."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "New Straits Times",
        "title": "When accident is off-duty but the financial pain isn't [WATCH]",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/15/when-accident-is-off-duty-but-the-financial-pain-isnt-watch",
        "published": "2026-10-15T11:28:19.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}