We’ve got your back, says Socso to taxi, e-hailing drivers

KUALA LUMPUR: There’s no telling what danger lurks around the bend, which is why the Social Securiy Organisation ( Socso) is urging taxi and ehailing drivers to take up the Self- Employment Social Security Scheme ( SPS) to help them when they’re incapacitated by injury.

“We estimate that more than 96 per cent of the roughly 100,000 drivers nationwide have not registered for the scheme,” said Socso deputy chief executive (operations) John Riba Marin.

The contribution amount could be as low as 0.43 sen a day, he added, but the plus points are many like a permanent disability benefit, education benefit, medical care, physical rehabilitation and vocational training.

Arison Yacob, 54, a taxi driver who was involved in an auto accident last May, is grateful to Socso for coming through quickly for him.

“With my irregular and meagre income, it would have been impossible to afford the operation.

“The cost of the surgery and spinal implant was RM22,790, and borne completely by Socso,” he said.

Aside from this, Arison received a Jewett brace (rehabilitation aid) and a temporary disability benefit of RM840.

“I advise all drivers to start contributing to Socso,” he told reporters when Socso visited him yesterday at his home in Seri Kembangan.

Arison, who has been a taxi driver for 12 years, is among the 4,437 taxi and e-hailing drivers who started contributing to the scheme after it was introduced last June. — Bernama