Employers associations want to have own nominee in Socso board

KUCHING: Sarawak Business Federation (SBF) and Sarawak Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) have expressed regret that they were not consulted in the appointment of the state’s representative in the Social Security Organisation (Socso) board to replace their nominee Datuk Philip Ting.

SBF secretary general Jonathan Chai said in a statement on Monday that whatever the reason given by Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri Richard Riot Jaem for replacing Ting was, SBF and SCCI as associations representing the employers should be given a chance to nominate their representative in Socso.

“The minister (Riot) ought to have consulted with SBF/SCCI or MEF (Malaysian Employers’ Federation) concerning our nominee if he has any doubt. Alternatively, he could have asked for another nominee from us bearing in mind that for the past 25 years or so, our nominee has always been appointed.

“The break from this long established rapport and mutual confidence is therefore very much regretted,” Chai said.

The statement also mentioned that the business community has always been represented on the Socso board with four representatives out of the 16 board members.

Of the four, two represent the business community in Peninsular Malaysia and one each for Sarawak and Sabah.

“Given this rather limited representation, the person representing Sarawak should therefore rightfully be a representative from SBF/SCCI, the most eligible entity in terms of the size of its membership, to represent the interests of Sarawak where the employers have contributed around RM200 million annually to Socso.

“We deeply regret this lost opportunity and hope this situation can be rectified with a nominee from SBF/SCCI to sit on the Socso board.”