SHAH ALAM, July 10 - Malaysian workers who do not wish to be covered under the Social Security Organisation’s (SOCSO) Non-Employment Injury Scheme (LINDUNG 24 Jam) will have to manually opt out once the online option becomes available on Monday (July 13).
Its group chief executive officer Datuk Seri Mohammed Azman Aziz Mohammed said the organisation took note of the Cabinet’s decision to revise the LINDUNG 24 Jam policy, allowing local workers to choose whether to participate in the scheme.
“Following the Cabinet’s decision and the directive of the Human Resources Minister, an option for contributors who wish to be exempted (opt out) from LINDUNG 24 Jam will be made available online by next Monday,” he said in a statement today.
Azman added that contributors who do not wish to continue with the scheme will have to complete a liability waiver declaration, which will serve as the legal basis should any disputes arise in the future.
“This is to ensure that there are no legal implications under the Employees’ Social Security Act 1969 should an accident or injury occur to the contributor outside working hours,” he said.
On Wednesday (July 8), government spokesman Datuk Fahmi Fadzil said the Cabinet had decided that contributions to the scheme would no longer be mandatory but voluntary, with immediate effect.
In a separate statement yesterday, Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri Ramanan Ramakrishnan said the scheme would be voluntary for local workers but remain mandatory for foreign workers.
Despite the policy change, Azman strongly encouraged local workers to continue contributing to LINDUNG 24 Jam, as the scheme provides income replacement to help ensure continuity of livelihood in the event of accidents outside working hours.
The relatively low contribution rate compared with existing protection premiums in the market should not be viewed as a burden, but rather as a safeguard for families.
“According to statistics, SOCSO records an average of about 27 cases daily for the disbursement of LINDUNG 24 Jam benefits, amounting to nearly RM2 million within one month of the scheme coming into effect.
“This rate is higher than the average of about 13 applications per day that SOCSO had to reject in 2025 because they were categorised as non-workplace accidents,” he said.
Azman noted that this proved the effectiveness of LINDUNG 24 Jam in supporting the livelihood of contributors and their dependents.
“Therefore, the benefits provided through this low-rate contribution should not be taken lightly, as they serve as a vital support when disasters disrupt lives,” he said.
Simiarly, Azman did not rule out the possibility that the policy change for LINDUNG 24 Jam could affect the sustainability of the fund and the effectiveness of benefit disbursement in the long term.
SOCSO and the Human Resources Ministry will carry out a review of the LINDUNG 24 Jam implementation mechanism by the end of this year.
“SOCSO will continue to intensify efforts to deliver clear and accurate information to ensure every worker understands the benefits of LINDUNG 24 Jam so that they can make the best decision for their future and that of their families,” he said.
