Taxis taking turns to pick up passengers from a shopping arcade in the business district of Kuching city. File Photo
KUCHING: Taxi associations in the state welcomed the decision by the Social Security Organisation (Socso) to implement a social security protection scheme for taxi drivers effective June 1.
Kuching Division Taxi Association (KDTA) chairman Chong Foo Seng described this as “very good news” for taxi drivers.
“We have been waiting very long for a protection scheme from Socso that will benefit taxi drivers and finally, the good news has arrived,” he told The Borneo Post when contacted yesterday.
Though he acknowledged that there are not many details on the scheme at the moment, he said the association will get its members to register once the scheme has been implemented.
“For now, we will wait for further news from Socso regarding this scheme for taxi drivers and we will also get members under our association to register with Socso,” he said, adding that KDTA currently has more than 200 members throughout Kuching division.
Meanwhile, Sarawak Taxi Owners Association (STOA) chairman Tay Teck Ming also shared the same sentiment with Chong.
“It is always good for workers to be covered by Socso and now that taxi drivers will also be included in the Socso scheme, it will no doubt be welcomed by all of us in STOA.
“I’m glad to hear this good news and will ask our 174 association members to register so as to benefit from this scheme,” he said.
Socso Sarawak director Philip Nangkan on Tuesday said each taxi driver will be required to register and contribute to the organisation once the protection scheme has been implemented.
“This Sosco protection scheme will enable taxi drivers to enjoy the same benefits extended to workers covered by Socso,” he told a press conference held at Socso Sarawak headquarters.
Last month, Socso chief executive Datuk Mohammed Azman Aziz Mohammed said based on the same approach, taxi drivers and other self-employed groups will be covered in the event of incidents such as accidents, injuries and deaths.
He added that under the scheme, taxi drivers as well as Uber and Grab car drivers who used their private vehicles to carry passengers would be covered under the scheme to protect their welfare.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak announced the RM60 million special financial grant for the implementation of the scheme during the tabling of the Budget 2017 in Oct last year.
Socso and the Ministry of Human Resources are expected to present this bill in Parliament this month for the scheme to be enforced by June 1.