New bill approval needed to establish Malaysian Gig Economy Commission

KUALA LUMPUR: The government is urged to present the Bill for gig workers during the Parliament session that began on October 14, so that the Malaysian Gig Economy Commission (SEGiM) can be established.

According to the Wilayahku portal, the Chairman of the Gig Economy Workers’ Union Secretariat, Datuk Seri Mohd Sharkar Shamsudin, hopes the Bill will be approved and receive support from all Members of Parliament.

“I have been informed that during this Parliament session, we will bring forward a Bill specifically for gig workers and practitioners.

“With the approval of this Bill, we will be able to establish SEGiM. The Bill will be presented by the Ministry of Human Resources (KESUMA). As long as it remains unapproved, SEGiM cannot be established,” he said.

Meanwhile, Sharkar expressed hope that this matter would be included in the announcement to be made by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim during the presentation of the 2025 Budget on October 18.

He stated that this initiative is crucial for ensuring the future of those involved in the gig industry, such as e-hailing drivers and p-hailing couriers.

“We hope that in the 2025 Budget, the Prime Minister will include allocations for gig needs, such as insurance schemes and subsidies.

“There should also be a budget for training, such as Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET). This will enable them to transition to more stable employment in terms of income,” he said.

P-hailing refers to delivery services using motor vehicles, particularly motorcycles, for delivering goods such as food, documents, or packages, while e-hailing is the service of booking vehicles or taxis via mobile applications or online platforms.

Currently, there are over 200,000 registered p-hailing couriers nationwide.

Meanwhile, Abdul Hakim Abdul Rani, Deputy President of the Malaysian P-Hailing Couriers Association (Penghantar), stated that the establishment of SEGiM is very important for the government to realize.

He emphasized the need to restructure and regulate the entire gig industry ecosystem in Malaysia, including the e-hailing and p-hailing sectors.

“It is well-known that the gig industry is unique because it involves several ministries and government agencies.

“Clearly, the government needs to create a regulatory body to bring together every ministry and agency involved,” he said.

According to Hakim, a fair Act, policy, and legislation that involve all stakeholders are necessary.

He stressed that they do not want the E-Hailing legislation established in 2018 to continue failing to protect e-hailing drivers comprehensively.

“Just look at how, for example, even today, there are still e-hailing service providers and drivers operating without adhering to existing legal requirements.

“In addition to the issue of skyrocketing e-hailing insurance costs, they also face a critical situation with the decline in e-hailing passenger fare rates,” he said.

He hopes that SEGiM will address key issues such as job health safety guarantees, income assurance, enforcement, and future security.

He stated that SEGiM is also expected to close the gaps that have existed in the gig industry.

“For example, the unhealthy competition among e-hailing and p-hailing service providers, which ultimately makes them victims of business maneuvers among themselves,” he said.