PUTRAJAYA: The Human Resources Ministry aims to provide social security protection for 500,000 housewives under the Housewives' Social Security Scheme (SKSSR) by next year.
Newly appointed Human Resources Minister V. Sivakumar said the SKSSR that was implemented on Dec 1 had so far received overwhelming response with more than 1,092 registrations in its first week.
Speaking at his first press conference at the ministry today, Sivakumar said the SKSSR scheme, a brainchild of former deputy prime minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, is a scheme implemented to protect and safeguard the welfare of homemakers and housewives that could not afford private insurance.
The programme, which comes under the Housewives' Social Security Act 2022 (Act 838), makes Malaysia one of four countries in the world to provide social security protection specifically for women.
"The SKSSR aims to provide protection coverage to housewives, homemakers and women in the household management role.
"The domestic injury benefit includes medical and permanent disability benefits, facilities for physical or vocational rehabilitation and dialysis, funeral benefits and survivors pension.
"The protection against invalidity also provides benefits like constant-attendance allowance, facilities for physical or vocational rehabilitation, dialysis, follow-up treatment, funeral benefits and survivors' pension until the patient is 55 years old," he said.
The newly introduced social protection scheme under the Social Security Organisation (Perkeso) provides protection for housewives against domestic accidents and invalidity while managing the household, in addition to recognising their involvement in the "care economy" and managing family institutions.
Also present at the press conference was Perkeso chief executive Datuk Seri Dr Mohammed Azman Aziz Mohamed.
"The ministry through Perkeso, will continue to proactively implement various engagement programs to promote SKSSR through awareness campaigns, roadshows, Perkeso's Prihatin Squad and Social Synergy Programme as well as through all media platforms.
"We hope this SKSSR programme will benefit the 2.9 million women nationwide, especially housewives, widows, divorcees and any woman whose role is to manage the household," he said.
Sivakumar hoped that husbands would also take this opportunity to contribute to this social protection scheme on behalf of their wives.
"Corporate companies and non-governmental organisations should also jump on the bandwagon to sponsor poor and vulnerable homemakers who may not afford the social protection scheme, to cover them in case of a domestic disaster, accident, disabilities and death," Sivakumar said.
He noted that the SKSSR was similar to the I-Suri coverage scheme under EPF, but provided protection for everyone, including those who do not earn a monthly income.
"This coverage is also extended to women staying at home and taking care of the family, including single career women.
"However, the coverage is not limited to injuries and accidents within the household, but also when they are out carrying out their daily chores, like sending a child to school, buying groceries and so on. For RM120 yearly, the women will get RM30,000 to RM 50,000 worth of coverage.
"This also includes treatment at clinics and admission in second class wards at government hospitals and rehabilitation facilities," he added.
More information on the scheme is available on Perkeso's official website at www.perkeso.gov.my or their hotline at 1-300-22-8000.