Felcra shows appreciation for 10,000 participants through Socso protection

KUALA LUMPUR: Social Security Organization (Socso) has received contributions from the Self-Employed Social Security Scheme (SKSPS) from FELCRA Berhad (Felcra) for its 10,000 Felcra participants through the SPS Tani initiative under the SPS Contribution Matching Initiative.

SPS Contribution Matching Initiative is a government matching grant initiative introduced in Budget 2022 aimed at encouraging and easing the burden of the self-employed to get social protection from SOCSO.

Under this Initiative, the Government finances 80 per cent of the SKSPS Plan 2 contribution, while self-employed contributors only need to pay 20 per cent which is only RM46.60 of the full amount of contribution (RM232.80).

The contribution made reflects Felcra’s appreciation and commitment to its participants.

SKSPS contribution sponsorship under SPS Tani by Felcra was made possible through the TANGO project. The TANGO project is a platform that brings together entrepreneurs and the selfemployed including gig workers online to attract these groups across the country to participate in SKSPS protection.

SKSPS provides protection to self-employed people from occupational disasters including occupational diseases and accidents while performing work-related activities.

Among the benefits offered by this scheme are medical benefits, temporary disability benefits, permanent disability benefits, permanent treatment allowance, dependent’s benefits, corpse management benefits, physical or vocational rehabilitation facilities, and educational loan facilities.

To date, out of approximately 2.8 million self-employed people nationwide, nearly 711,000 active contributors are registered under SKSPS.

Responsible for developing rural areas, Felcra opens opportunities for rural communities to improve their standard of living through participation in economic activities to generate income by creating a dynamic, sustainable, and profitable rural sector.

Socso provides protection to self-employed people under 20 informal sectors including the Agriculture Sector, through SKSPS under the Self-Employed Social Security Act 2017 (Act 789).

Act 789, which came into force on June 1, 2017, is now mandatory for the passenger transport sector as well as the goods and food transport sector.

Sosco hopes that other agencies will emulate Felcra’s concern in the welfare and protection aspects of their participants so that more self-employed people are protected by Sosco through SKSPS.

This scheme not only provides protection to self-employed individuals but also their dependents in the event of a work-related death.