KUALA LUMPUR: Employees who do not wish to contribute to the Social Security Organisation’s (Perkeso) Lindung 24/7 scheme must fill in a form exempting their employers and Perkeso from liabity for accidents or deaths occurring outside working hours.
Introduced last month, Lindung 24/7 extends Perkeso protection in cases such as road accidents or other incidents that occur outside employees’ scope of work.
Perkeso CEO Azman Aziz Mohammed said the exemption form, which will be made available online from Monday, was necessary to ensure that workers who opt out of the scheme would not be able to seek compensation from their employers or Perkeso for non-work-related accidents.
“The form is a liability waiver declaration,” he told a press conference here today.
“If employees choose not to continue (contributing to the scheme), then with this liability waiver declaration, neither Perkeso nor employers will be responsible.
“This means they will not be covered for any accidents, injuries or deaths that occur outside working hours,” he said.
On Wednesday, communications minister Fahmi Fadzil said the Cabinet had decided that Perkeso’s Lindung 24/7 scheme would be voluntary for local employees, but would remain mandatory for foreign workers.
The scheme is fully worker-funded, unlike traditional Perkeso models which are funded mainly by employers.
Contributions start at 0.75% of monthly wages, rising to 1% in the third year and 1.25% from the sixth year onward.
Monthly Perkeso contributions for workers earning RM3,000 to RM5,000 a month range from RM22.50 to RM37.50, deducted directly from their wages.
Employers remit the amount to Perkeso alongside the other usual monthly contributions, allowing eligible workers to receive coverage without taking up a separate policy.
Lindung 24/7 offers standardised protection to all contributors regardless of age as long as they remain employed, instead of benefits varying according to individual policy terms and coverage levels.
