PETALING JAYA: The Gig Economy Commission proposed by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi shows the government’s commitment to addressing challenges faced by those in the industry, said workforce solutions experts.
Zahid, who is also rural and regional development minister, was commenting on the recent protest by e-hailing drivers and p-hailing riders against Grab Malaysia’s move to revamp their earnings framework.
Zahid said he wanted to ensure the establishment of the commission was realised to safeguard the welfare of more than 1.2 million gig workers.
FastCo Malaysia general manager Joelle Pang said while the commission has the potential to bring positive changes for gig workers by addressing regulatory gaps and fostering a more inclusive dialogue, more could be done to ensure their rights are fairly protected.
“The commission could serve as a platform for dialogue between the gig workers and other stakeholders such as employers and policymakers. This approach could lead to effective solutions that balance the gig economy’s flexibility with fair labour practices.
“However, excessive regulation could stifle the flexibility that the gig economy offers,” she said, adding that platform providers play a crucial role in providing gig workers essential social safeguards, equitable wages and secure working conditions.”
FastCo is the company behind Southeast Asia’s top non-executive job portal for job-seekers and employers FastJobs, and Singapore’s first flexi-work recruitment app FastGig.
Pang said the commission’s success will depend on how well it navigates the gig economy’s complexities, to ensure a fair and balanced approach that benefits workers and the industry.
Due to the current lack of policies, she said gig workers had to register directly with agencies, such as the Social Security Organisation (Socso), as they are not defined under “employment”.
She added that a common issue faced by gig workers is their access to traditional welfare systems, which might deny them crucial social security benefits when filing a claim.
“That’s why we proactively promote our gig workers’ registration with Socso to ensure they are financially safeguarded in case of incidents.”
Pang said her company also goes beyond the conventional approach by facilitating gig workers’ access to a spectrum of financial tools by partnering with Bank Islam.
“This partnership boosts the empowerment of gig workers by presenting them with a range of financial solutions, and enhancing their income avenues.
“It also offers them more opportunities to better their lives by establishing a proper financial history.”
TROOPERS CEO Joshua Tan said the commission presents an opportunity to establish guidelines for gig workers and platform providers.
“Since our formation in 2017, we have advocated comprehensive regulations and policies for gig workers so that they have opportunities to foster a more sustainable environment and ensure their rights and welfare are adequately protected.”
He said many platform providers, including his company, have already established benefits and service solutions to support gig workers and accommodate their lives.
Hence, the government should engage with platform providers to enable system integration.
“Providing gig workers access to healthcare, insurance, and retirement benefits should be prioritised through collaboration with existing social security systems or the creation of a dedicated scheme for gig workers.”
Tan urged policymakers and stakeholders such as the Employees Provident Fund to reach out to platform providers for such collaboration.
