Govt dept owes RM32mil in Socso contributions, claims Cuepacs

 FMT

5/9.2022

PETALING JAYA: Cuepacs claims that a government department has failed to pay arrears of more than RM32 million in Social Security Organisation (Socso) contributions for contract and temporary workers.

Adnan Mat, the president of the umbrella body for civil service unions, said these arrears were contributions from 2013 to 2020, totalling RM32,151,063.

He called for the arrears to be promptly paid to ensure that civil servants would be eligible for Socso’s disability scheme, in the event that something untoward happened to them.

If the contributions were not made, he said, the staff would fail to meet the requirements for the disability scheme under the Employees’ Social Security Act 1969 (Act)

“As an employer, it is also (the government department’s) duty to ensure that every contract and temporary employee makes a contribution to Socso, thus guaranteeing proper protection,” he said in a statement.

Failure to do so, he said, was an offence under Section 94 of Act 4 as well as the Employees’ Social Security Regulations 1971, which carries a fine not exceeding RM10,000 or imprisonment of up to two years, or both.

Adnan urged all government agencies, authorities and statutory bodies to register and contribute to Socso for contract-level staff, citing the various benefits available for workers.

This ranges from temporary or permanent disability benefits, disability pensions and medical benefits, to physical or vocational rehabilitation benefits.

He hoped that the government would be firm in matters involving the safety and well-being of workers, even if they were contract or temporary staff.