PUTRAJAYA: The Invalidity Scheme will be expanded to foreign workers in the country to ensure they too are covered by the benefits of this scheme.
This was decided during the joint committee meeting between the Home Ministry and Human Resource Ministry on the management of foreign workers held today.
Human Resources Minister Steven Sim said the move is under Act 4 of the Employees' Social Security Act 1969 and in line with No 118 of the Equality Treatment (Social Security) Convention.
"At the moment, foreign workers are only protected under the Employment Injury Scheme.
"Hence, the meeting today agreed to expand the Invalidity Scheme to foreign workers as well.
"This Invalidity Scheme provides 24-hour coverage included outside of work," he told a press conference today.
In attendance was Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail.
Sim added there are six benefits under the Invalidity Scheme, namely invalidity pension; invalidity grant; constant-attendance allowance; survivor's pension; physical or vocational rehabilitation and funeral benefit.
Sim said at present, the process to repatriate the remains of foreign workers is being borne by the government or the employers.
"(And) the Social Security Organisation (Perkeso) is also doing it under its corporate social responsibility.
"Therefore, with this, Perkeso would be able to save about RM25.38 million yearly for the purpose (to repatriate the deceased)."
Meanwhile, Saifuddin said the China Communications Construction Company Ltd (CCCC), the main contractor of the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) project, has been given an extension to bring in foreign workers for the project.
The move was due to the nature of the project which is a high-impact, estimated to be worth RM50 billion.
"The project is sensitive in terms of the timeline.
"With progress of more than 70 per cent, therefore they need workers.
"They have been given the quota and they are bound with the deadline (May 31) to bring in the labour.
"Therefore, we allow an extension period for the purpose (to bring in foreign workers) based on the quota granted to them, so that the construction process is not disrupted."
Previously, Saifuddin announced that there will be no extension to the May 31 deadline for employers to bring in foreign workers in the formal sector.
He said the government is confident the ceiling for the number of foreign labour in the workforce will have been met.