Zahid says gig economy commission awaiting Cabinet’s nod, just months after proposal dropped

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 21 — A proposal to set up a Gig Economy Commission will be sped up once it gets the Cabinet’s approval, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi indicated today.

Ahmad Zahid said he took the proposal to Cabinet after meeting several industry players to improve the welfare of gig workers — a reversal of the federal government’s decision to abandon the setting up of the commission last year — The Sunday Star reported this afternoon.

“I believe that the commission needs to be formed soon as there are over 1.2 million workers in the sector.

“They need to contribute to the Social Security Organisation, and employers must also make sure of that, on top of contributions to the Employees’ Provident Fund.

“Despite some challenges, I am committed, along with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, to make the commission a reality.

“We will establish it after receiving approval from the Cabinet,” he was quoted as telling reporters in Shah Alam, Selangor this afternoon, after attending a celebration of the Tamil harvest festival of Pongal there.

The commission, tentatively called the Malaysian Gig Economy Commission (SEGiM), seeks to resolve problems in the informal work ecosystem and to create initiatives that will take care of the welfare of consumers, vendors, traders, workers and service platform providers

In July last year, Ahmad Zahid told a national forum on the gig economy framework that SEGiM will also be tasked with protecting gig workers by advocating for workers’ rights, social safety nets and job security.

But last November, then human resources minister V. Sivakumar said that the government did not plan to set up the commission as it would overlap with existing committees, including the Digital Economy and National Industrial Revolution 4.0 Council and the Sharing Economy Committee.