Socso: 269 compound notices issued to employers last year

SIBU: The Social Security Organisation ( Socso) issued 26 9 compounds amount ing to RM153,500 to employers in the state last year, with 116 prosecution cases recorded in the same period.

According to the statistics from Socso Sarawak, Kuching had the most number of cases – 8 5 compounds t o ta l l ing RM55,000.

Mir i had 51 c ompounds amounting to RM39,250, Bintulu with 38 compounds ( RM32,000), Limbang with 20 compounds ( RM15,0 0 0 ) , Sibu with 16 compounds ( RM4,250), Kapit with 12 compounds ( RM2,625), Sri Aman with 22 compounds ( RM2,000) , Sarikei with 12 compounds ( RM1,500), Mukah with nine compounds ( RM1,500), and Serian with four compounds ( RM375).

On prosecution cases, Kuching recorded 63, Bintulu with 13, Miri with 30, Sibu with six, Mukah with three, and Serian, one.

On reasons for Kuching recording the most number of compounds, Socso Sarawak director Philip Sangkan said this could be due to the vast area and most likely, it having more employers.

He explained that employers are eligible to make contributions

Basically, that is the reason why they did not contribute. Our Act states that as long as they are employed workers – part-time or under probation – the employers are eligible to contribute. Philip Sangkan, Socso Sarawak director

irrespective of whether their workers are engaged on parttime basis or under probation.

“We want to make it clear that be it part- time or under probation – if they’re Malaysian workers – they are eligible ( for contribution to Socso),” Philip told The Borneo Post a f ter launching Ops Kesan 2017 for Sibu’ on Thursday.

According to h im, some employers may say their workers are par t- timers, or under probation for three months or a year.

“Basically, that is the reason why they did not contribute. Our Act states that as long as they are employed workers – part-time or under probation – the employers are eligible to contribute.

“These are the main excuses given by employers for not contributing ( to Socso),” he added.

On Ops Kesan, Philip pointed out that it is a nationwide exercise and all Socso officers across the state are currently running the month-long operation.

On another matter, Phi lip said Socso i s encouraging employers to make monthly contributions online through the newly introduced ‘ iPerkeso Employer Portal’ as payment over the counter would no longer be accepted as of January next year.

Add ing on, he s a id that the application is easy to use – employers could even make payments via smartphones.

Meanwhile, Socso Sibu branch manager Tan Phang Chia said under social security protection schemes, there are employment injury and invalidity schemes.

Under the employment injury scheme are medical benef it, temporary disablement benefit, permanent disablement benefit, constant- attendance allowance, facilities for physical/vocational rehabi l itat ion, dependents’ benef it, funeral benef it and education benefit.

As for invalidity scheme, there are invalidity pension, invalidity grant , constant- at tendance allowance, facilities for physical/ vocational rehabilitation and dialysis, survivors’ pension, funeral benefit and education benefit.