KUALA LUMPUR: The Transport Ministry will soon make it compulsory for p-hailing workers to make Social Security Organisation (Perkeso) contributions in order for them to obtain the special vocational licence to operate as food delivery riders.
Its minister Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong said the move is not a burden, but to provide a social safety net for workers in the country's p-hailing industry.
"After this, we will make it a requirement for p-hailing riders to contribute with Perkeso's Self-Employment Social Security Scheme (SKSPS) in order for them to obtain the vocational licence," he told the Dewan Rakyat today.
He was responding to a question from Datuk Seri Mukhriz Mahathir (Pejuang-Jerlun) who called on the government to extensively promote SKSPS facilities among p-hailing riders.
The ministry, he said, has started to make it a requirement for p-hailing providers to make Perkeso contributions on behalf of their delivery riders.
"As a start, the government will pay 80 per cent (of the contribution) while the rest would be borne by the p-hailing riders," he said.
On the introduction of the vocational licence, Wee said it is to enable the government to monitor and provide the necessary assistance to the p-hailing riders.
"At this moment, I do not have the list (the numbers of p-hailing riders) if the ministry is asked about this.
"The ministry, in fact, needs to obtain the figures from the p-hailing providers," he said.
The Dewan Rakyat later approved the Road Transport (Amendment) Bill 2022 and two other Bills related to the monitoring of p-hailing riders.
The other two Bills are Commercial Vehicles Licensing Board (Amendment) Bill 2022 and Land Public Transport (Amendment) Bill 2022.
The p-hailing industry was officially placed under the purview of the ministry in August this year.
Wee had previously said such a move was implemented to ensure better regulation and monitoring of the food and goods delivery services in the country.
Prior to the move, the ministry had only managed and regulated the e-hailing industry.