NST Leader: Ensure Gig Workers Bill delivers

New Straits Times

11 hours ago

THERE is finally some clarity about the long awaited Gig Workers Bill after Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said it is expected to be tabled in the Dewan Rakyat in August or September. But several concerns about this future economy have to be sorted out.
Chiefly, the bill has to balance worker protection with business viability and sustainability. The bill is designed to safeguard the gig economy and create a social protection framework for the 1.12 million Malaysians working in the sector.
The bill is also meant to provide equitable protection that builds a fair, inclusive and resilient future. Zahid has touted the bill as a world's first and that the International Labour Organisation was keen to learn from Malaysia's experience.
However, despite its importance, industry players are adopting a "wait-and-see" attitude. The gig economy is a major economic contributor and a source of employment to youngsters.
A key question about the bill is on whether it addresses career advancements. The bill also has place in the Education Ministry's effort to stem Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia absenteeism, as more students are forfeiting the examination to become riders and drivers for quick and easy money.
The Department of Statistics Malaysia conducted a study in 2022 and found that the majority of p-hailing riders are aged between 15 and 30 and earn about RM2,500 a month.
Major industry players maintained that the bill offered little clarity because no regulatory impact assessment has been done.
Over the years of deliberations, the industry hasn't seen dispute resolution, deactivation compensation and wage requirement resolved. It's clear that more industry consultations and inclusivity is needed in the bill's drafting, especially discussions with platforms, gig workers, academics and experts.
There are other worries: will there be spikes in operational costs, more entry barriers, disruptions in business models and higher consumer costs? Gig worker associations are uneasy with excessive regulations that may stifle innovation, discourage platform investment, reduce job opportunities and harm economic benefits.
They are asking: Will the bill clearly define gig workers, provide practical mechanisms for dispute resolution, income protection and social security?
This is why there have been multiple postponements to the bill's tabling.
Nevertheless, the bill is a global pioneering legal framework for gig workers, espousing a fair, inclusive and resilient future economy.