MalayMail-Sept 2
The Ministry of Human Resources (Kesuma) on August 25 tabled the Gig Workers Bill 2025, which it described as a major milestone in the bid to regulate gig work and protect millions of workers. The Bill, which was passed on August 28, came after years of protests over what workers alleged to be exploitative practices by internet-based companies, fueling demand for safeguards in a multi-billion-ringgit industry that largely operates outside laws governing formal employment. About 1.2 million Malaysians currently earn through gig work, with e-hailing emerging as the most prominent sector, according to Kesuma data. The ministry said the Gig Workers Bill 2025 provides a clear legal framework to protect the rights and welfare of gig economy workers, starting with a clearer and broader definition of what constitutes gig work and which types of workers are protected under this law. They are any individual who has entered into a service agreement with an entity or platform provider and who performs services for a platform provider or earns income through the following activities: acting or singing, film production crew work, lyric writing or music composition, make-up artistry, hairdressing or styling, freelance journalism, care services, videography and photography. This Bill is considered a significant step because it seeks to address several key issues faced by gig workers: legal recognition making it difficult to seek legal recourse in disputes. The new law makes social security contributions — such as those to Perkeso and EPF — mandatory for service providers, giving gig workers a safety net they previously lacked. The law also establishes a formal dispute resolution mechanism, including a Gig Workers Tribunal, to handle complaints in a structured and transparent way. Read more at:
