According to news reports, Malaysia Ministry of Human Resources (MoHR) through the Social Security Organisation (SOCSO) and Women, Family and Community Development Ministry (KWPKM) will propose free SOCSO protection for about two million housewives that form the bottom 40% income group (B40). Based on the classification provided by the Department of Statistics Malaysia, household income for the B40 earn less than RM4,850 per month.
The SOCSO, which is also known as PERKESO, is a Malaysian government agency established to implement and administer social security schemes under the Employees’ Social Security Act 1969.
Following discussions, the ministry saw the need to protect these group of women who had been affected by the pandemic.
Earlier on, the government had agreed to make contribution payments to about 150,000 women who fall under the B40 group registered under e-Kasih. e-Kasih is a database created at the national level which captures information on poor families, to help plan, implement and monitor poverty programmes.