Latest news with #GoogleMeet
Android Authority
6 hours ago
- Android Authority
Google is fixing Meet's messy invitations on Android (APK teardown)
Edgar Cervantes / Android Authority TL;DR Google is working on a simpler method to add new people to an ongoing call in Meet for Android. It could replace the current method, which involves sharing the call link with people. With the new functionality, you would be able to invite contacts by using their email addresses or phone numbers. It's been a few years since Google Meet was merged with Duo for a more integrated video calling experience on mobile. While the new app has many exciting features, such as augmented reality filters for video calls, certain basic functionalities, like adding more people to existing calls, can be cumbersome and not user-friendly. Thankfully, Google may now be addressing this issue and introducing an easier way to add contacts to ongoing calls. Authority Insights story on Android Authority. Discover You're reading anstory on Android Authority. Discover Authority Insights for more exclusive reports, app teardowns, leaks, and in-depth tech coverage you won't find anywhere else. An APK teardown helps predict features that may arrive on a service in the future based on work-in-progress code. However, it is possible that such predicted features may not make it to a public release. Currently, Google Meet on Android limits how you can invite people to ongoing calls. The existing method requires you to share a link with the new participant, which they can click and enter the meeting. This is unlike the web interface, where you can simply type their email ID to invite them to the call. However, we have learned that Google is working to bring an experience similar to that from the web interface to its Android app. By tinkering with Google Meet's version 317.0.786350680 on Android, we enabled an 'Add others' button that makes it much easier to add participants. Existing method to invite more people Upcoming method to invite more people Contact selection page for adding new participants We also witnessed the workflow of adding more people to a Google Meet call. After tapping the 'Add others' button, a contacts page appears where you can enter the new participant's email ID or phone number, or choose it from the phone's contact list. A 'Call' button also appears at the top-right corner of this page. After tapping 'Call,' the interface switches to the 'People' tab, showing a list of both current participants and invited users. Simultaneously, the call window minimizes into a picture-in-picture view. The call should appear as a standard incoming call for the invited individuals, while their names are shown with a 'Calling' label on your screen. If they decline or don't answer, the label changes to 'No answer,' and a new button appears. While it seems to allow you to call them again, it's more likely intended for existing participants to leave a video message together. Since it is still under development, we're unsure when Google will make the functionality widely accessible to users. However, we expect it to happen soon. Notably, Google Hangouts, a now-deprecated video calling app by Google, also allowed users to invite people directly into the call on both the web interface and the Android app. So, it's a shame Meet doesn't do this yet.
Arabian Post
3 days ago
- Business
- Arabian Post
Web3 Developers Targeted by Sophisticated AI‑Style Phishing Attack
A sophisticated phishing campaign orchestrated by the cybercrime group known as LARVA‑208 is actively targeting Web3 developers through fake AI platforms, according to cybersecurity firm PRODAFT. Victims are lured with job offers and portfolio review requests, directed to counterfeit workspaces like 'Norlax AI' and fake Teampilot clones, where they unwittingly download credential‑stealing malware—an evolution in the group's tactics aimed at exploiting emerging decentralised technology ecosystems. The operation unfolds through spear‑phishing links shared across platforms popular among blockchain developers, including X, Telegram, and niche job boards such as Remote3. After initial contact via systems like Google Meet, the conversation transitions to a fabricated AI workspace, where a prompt claiming outdated audio drivers induces the victim to install malware disguised as a benign Realtek HD Audio driver. The subsequent payload, a PowerShell‑delivered 'Fickle Stealer', harvests credentials, crypto‑wallets, and development environment access, sending the data to a covert command‑and‑control framework codenamed SilentPrism. This campaign signifies a noteworthy shift in LARVA‑208's monetisation strategy. Rather than relying solely on ransomware, they are now concentrating on harvesting high-value digital assets and selling access credentials in underground markets. The group's modus operandi—using tailored social engineering, domain impersonation, and trusted professional channels—reflects a sharp escalation in targeting developers within decentralised finance and blockchain realms. ADVERTISEMENT LARVA‑208 has an established history of spear‑phishing IT staff, exploiting channels like VPN credentials and Microsoft Teams integration to install credential harvesters and remote management software. This latest approach adapts those tactics to exploit the growing interdependence of Web3 developers on new, often unvetted tools, and the relative novelty of AI‑based collaboration platforms. According to PRODAFT, the campaign is part of a broader strategic pivot by EncryptHub, blending social engineering with sophisticated malware delivery: 'LARVA‑208 has evolved its tactics, using fake AI platforms to lure victims with job offers or portfolio review requests'. Researchers warn that this evolution is particularly dangerous given Web3 developers' access to smart contract repositories and digital wallets. Technical analysis of the attack chain highlights several key stages: initial social engineering to establish rapport, redirection from legitimate video conferencing services, presentation of fake platform login UI asking for email and code, injection of an error prompt, download and installation of malware. The payload then exfiltrates data including OS information, installed software lists, geolocation, and crypto‑wallet keys. SilentPrism, the backend infrastructure used by the group, centralises stolen data for later misuse or resale. PRODAFT links this infrastructure to known bulletproof hosting services and attributes it to Luminous Mantis, indicating that LARVA‑208 is expanding its cybercrime footprint. Industry experts emphasise the operational risk: compromised Web3 developers could lead to direct financial theft, alteration of smart contract code, or exposure of sensitive assets. Germany, the UK, France, the Netherlands, Switzerland, and Estonia are among the regions with high concentrations of affected developers, making this a pan‑European threat. ADVERTISEMENT Mitigation strategies advised include enforcing robust endpoint detection and response solutions, strict vetting of new AI and developer tools, and increased phishing awareness around scenario‑based lures such as job interviews or technical portfolio reviews. Security teams are also urged to segment development environments and require multi‑factor authentication for crypto‑wallet and code repository access. The malware 'Fickle Stealer', written in Rust, has previously been observed in desktop environment compromise. The new iteration leverages genuine‑looking audio software installation prompts to bypass user suspicion and evade traditional signature‑based defences. Public discussion on Telegram and X indicates growing awareness within Web3 circles. A post on X summarised: 'LARVA‑208 is targeting Web3 developers via fake AI platforms with job offers & portfolio reviews. Malware disguised as a Realtek HD Audio Driver …' ][5]). That visibility, however, comes as the group continues to refine its techniques. The campaign has prompted calls among security professionals to update threat intelligence feeds with phishing domains and IoCs associated with Norlax AI and related platforms. Traditional defences, such as browser warnings and DMARC checks, may prove insufficient against multi‑stage social engineering that exploits trusted systems like Google Meet. As artificial intelligence platforms proliferate, their credibility becomes a potent tool for manipulation. Analysts warn that the intersection of Web3 development and AI adoption provides fertile ground for advanced phishing. Proactive monitoring of credential‑stealing malware and rapid response protocols are now critical for organisations operating in decentralised contexts.
Economic Times
6 days ago
- Business
- Economic Times
Meet the Boss Babies: Teenpreneurs from the Internet B-School solving real-world problems
TIL Creatives Meet the boss babies: Teenpreneurs from the Internet B-School solving real-world problems At 11 am, the Google Meet buzzes and there's Dhiraj Gatmane, the 17-yearold founder of Stoodive. The start is a little rusty. 'Where are you from?' I ask. 'Near Maharashtra,' he says. 'Where exactly?' 'Have you heard of Dadra & Nagar Haveli?' I have, but Gatmane still confirms if I am familiar with the small Union territory on the Maharashtra border. Yet that tentativeness about his location didn't stop him from starting his company Stoodive in February with collaborators from across the world—many of whom he found on LinkedIn, which he joined just last is his solution to a real-world problem: finding a professor or a research guide for project work. He calls it the world's first social networking platform for researchers—'a Bumble + LinkedIn for research'. This month a core team of 15 members, working remotely, will launch its app which, claims Gatmane, has a 4,000+ waiting list. 'It will be free for now, but we are in discussions with leading pre-seed funds,' he says. Gatmane's business lessons come from social media and online courses. He says he owes a lot to LinkedIn: 'It's the most important social network for students. It's a skill that should be taught in schools as connections matter more than followers, even education.' The face of entrepreneurship is getting younger. According to a 2023 Connectd research, 92% of startups founded by Gen Z (18-24 year olds) in the US started off as side hustles. In a survey by SCORE, 38% of Gen Z respondents said entrepreneurship is the best career path. Richa Bajpai, founder of Campus Fund, a venture capital firm focused on student entrepreneurs, told ET last year that in the 4,800 student-led startu p s they evaluated, the proportion of those under 22 years surged from 60% in 2020 to over 75% in 2024. the trend is now permanent. He identifies three factors: the first has always existed, the second came about 10 years ago and the third is a recent phenomenon. He explains, 'First: young people have a very low perception of what actual risk is. They are irrationally optimists. That kind of audacity is required in entrepreneurship. Second: access to capital. Now, venture capitalists are open to funding first-time founders, even really young ones. Then the likes of Shark Tank have made entrepreneurship a family conversation. Third, AI has dramatically reduced the cost of starting up, particularly in tech.' He believes that entrepreneurs are only going to get Kumar, who is from Motihari, Bihar, is studying in Class XII at Jayshree Periwal International School, Jaipur, on a full scholarship. He says he started his entrepreneurial journey at age 14 when he got his first laptop. It was a T-shirt business that folded sooner than the tees. 'I was an entrepreneur even before I could pronounce the word.' Since then, he worked on many ideas which eventually shut like the social enterprise Mission Badlao and an online tutoring site Learnly. Now he is building Skillzo that brings 21st century skills to students, particularly in underserved geographies, by offering entrepreneurship programmes and mentorship to them. 'I want to give tools to kids like me. This year we are planning to upskill 1 lakh students using a model we are developing through AI,' says Kumar, who has more than 12,000 followers on LinkedIn. He feels his entrepreneurship has created opportunities—he is a Google Youth Advisor through the consumer insights agency Canvas8, which means he's one of the 58 advisors chosen worldwide that ensure that Google keeps youth needs front and centre when creating new products, features and services. He has also got the backing of his school CEO Ayush Periwal. The youngsters are concerned about everything from mental health to hair care to taxes. Nashik-based Vaikhari Sonawane, 18, calls herself a hustler. 'I was in a dummy school after Class X. I didn't socialise a lot for two years. All my free time was for building up Aatman, which started as a mental health blog four years ago.' Wanting to do more, she worked with Dr Vasantrao Pawar Medical College, Hospital & Research Centre to devise a mental health curriculum for students. She says Aatman has been able to take mental health education to over 300,000 students. Sonawane also has started Chamak, a marketing agency, with a friend and is not shy of trying out new things. In 2023 she started Schola, a platform for high schoolers to connect with college students. 'It folded in two years, but it taught me why paperwork is important.' Paperwork is what Anoushka Poddar, 16, wants to learn in her third year of entrepreneurship. A student of Dhirubhai Ambani International School, Mumbai, she started Snazz, a personal care brand for teens, as a response to her own struggles with skin, hair and confidence. 'It took me eight months to develop the formulations for my shampoo and conditioner, working with lab assistants and a factory in Thane. At that time, no one would take me seriously.' Her parents helped her with the legalities. Monthly, she says, Snazz sells about 1,000 pieces at Rs 650 each. She is planning to launch lip balms and sunscreen this year. The biggest issue? 'Time management. The older you get in school the less free time you have.'For 17-year-old Manas Sood, founder o f TaxCity—a card game that gamifies the tax system—age is a hindrance. Initially, he had a tough time convincing schools to let him hold sessions on taxes and finances. He launched the game in 2023 and, in two years, he says it has been distributed in about 45 schools across 14 states and has generated Rs 5.5 lakh through sales. 'We are working to launch an online version this year,' he says. Sood wants 17 to launch in three countries by 2027—US, UK and Nepal. 'Nearly 70% of projects started by under-18 students are abandoned when they go to college,' he says, adding that TaxCity is not going to meet that fate even though he starts college in the University of Southern California. He plans to introduce seven more games in the next two years. While LinkedIn yielded two internships and 8 of 12 collaborators for Sood, Instagram is the launch pad for Thane-based Nidhi Nair. The 20-year-old is a cofounder of the event management company Saddi Galli whose 'Scam Sangeet' aka fake sangeet parties have gone viral. It started as a 'timepass' for Nair and her three friends— Paras Chaudhari (event head), Alisha Chowri (event stylist) and Gaurav Joshi (logistics head). Nair, who is the marketing head, says, 'We didn't think of this as entrepreneurship! But after we went viral, we got sponsors, the event was sold out and now we have a calendar of events. Even someone from Shark Tank approached us!' She says being young can make securing sponsorships difficult. Facing distrust is par for the course for young founders. Hyderabad-based Appalla Saikiran, founder of Scope, an invite-only networking and fundraising platform for startups, is quite familiar with it. When he started his entrepreneurial journey five years ago, at age 17, no one gave him the time of day. 'As a young entrepreneur, you are constantly under scrutiny. If you ease a bit, people will say you are slacking off or have lost interest. You can't afford to make a is seen as fraud in India.'Rohit Kashyap, 23, who started out at 14 in Patna with the now defunct foodtech venture Foodcubo, is a self-taught entrepreneur. He says entrepreneurship happened because of 'zaroorat', necessity. 'Nowadays people take up entrepreneurship because it is cool or for college admissions abroad. This has created hurdles for us as investors do not take us seriously. Entrepreneurship is not starting a business, it's a skill,' he says. In 2019, he started Maytree School of Entrepreneurship, which works with first-time entrepreneurs and state governments to develop startup ecosystems in the grassroots level. Kashyap says LinkedIn, where he has more than 10,000 followers, and Quora, with over 25,000 followers, have helped him: 'Influence is helpful but nothing works better than a personal connection. Five friends are more effective than 5,000 followers.'Ajinkya Jadhav created his first venture WeAllTeen, a youth-led think tank, at age 17. At 26, he is now leading Praesidio Care, headquartered in Greater Nashik. It incubates ventures focused on healthcare, mobility and public safety. He says 'startup' means something totally different today from five years ago. 'It's not just about hypergrowth or raising millions. Now, a startup could be a solo founder building a product studio from their laptop, a niche D2C brand selling through Instagram, or even an AI tool with 200 loyal users. What matters is purpose, clarity and execution—not scale.' It's a 'start now, scale later' contends that while titles like 'founder' or 'CEO' are used a bit loosely, that's not a bad thing. 'Everyone has their own reasons for claiming it. In many cases, that title simply means, 'I'm serious about this.' But investors, mentors and accelerators look past want to know if there's something real underneath. Is there a real problem being solved? Is there any kind of traction—early users, feedback loops, partnerships? Do founders understand their market—the size, the gaps, the competition? Is there team strength? That separates a cool idea from a real company.'Warikoo agrees. He tells young founders to not think this will be for the long term: 'What you are is a builder, what you are is a problem solver, and that doesn't mean you only have to solve one problem in your entire life.'Tanvi Bhatt, personal brand strategist for entrepreneurs, says building a personal brand is more important than ever. Her advice: don't copypaste using AI, be authentic, be clear of your purpose. 'Thought leadership gets built when you bring a perspective to the table, your own unique lens of looking at things. Don't do it because everyone else is doing it or do what everyone else is doing.' Her advice is to not use the title 'CEO' as that's earned after a certain leadership experience. 'Founder or explorer is a better fit. It's also strategic as it means you are open to learning.' And the learning curve is steep and long. Warikoo says, 'Keep trying because statistics say, at least in the US, entrepreneurial performance rises with age.' What the young founders have is a head start.
Time of India
6 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Meet the Boss Babies: Teenpreneurs from the Internet B-School solving real-world problems
Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads ADARSH KUMAR 18, MOTIHARI WHAT: Offers entrepreneurship programme undefined has reached 20,000+ learners WHEN:2023 FOUNDER OF SKILLZO Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads MENTAL HEALTH TO HAIR CARE VAIKHARI SONAWANE, 18,NASHIK FOUNDER OF AATMAN WHEN: 2023 WHAT: Mental health education for teens, reached over 300,000 students ANOUSHKA PODDAR, 16, MUMBAI FOUNDER OF SNAZZ WHEN: 2022 WHAT: Personal care company aimed at teens, offers shampoo & conditioner, to launch sunscreen & lip balm MANAS SOOD 17, DELHI FOUNDER OF TAXCITY WHEN: 2023 WHAT: A card game to educate young adults about personal finance, distributed 2,350+ game kits in 45+ schools across 14 states Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads 'ENTREPRENEURSHIP IS A SKILL' At 11 am, the Google Meet buzzes and there's Dhiraj Gatmane, the 17-yearold founder of Stoodive. The start is a little rusty. 'Where are you from?' I ask. 'Near Maharashtra,' he says. 'Where exactly?' 'Have you heard of Dadra & Nagar Haveli?' I have, but Gatmane still confirms if I am familiar with the small Union territory on the Maharashtra border. Yet that tentativeness about his location didn't stop him from starting his company Stoodive in February with collaborators from across the world—many of whom he found on LinkedIn, which he joined just last is his solution to a real-world problem: finding a professor or a research guide for project work. He calls it the world's first social networking platform for researchers—'a Bumble + LinkedIn for research'. This month a core team of 15 members, working remotely, will launch its app which, claims Gatmane, has a 4,000+ waiting list. 'It will be free for now, but we are in discussions with leading pre-seed funds,' he says. Gatmane's business lessons come from social media and online courses. He says he owes a lot to LinkedIn: 'It's the most important social network for students. It's a skill that should be taught in schools as connections matter more than followers, even education.'The face of entrepreneurship is getting younger. According to a 2023 Connectd research, 92% of startups founded by Gen Z (18-24 year olds) in the US started off as side hustles. In a survey by SCORE, 38% of Gen Z respondents said entrepreneurship is the best career path. Richa Bajpai, founder of Campus Fund, a venture capital firm focused on student entrepreneurs, told ET last year that in the 4,800 student-led startu p s they evaluated, the proportion of those under 22 years surged from 60% in 2020 to over 75% in 2024. the trend is now permanent. He identifies three factors: the first has always existed, the second came about 10 years ago and the third is a recent phenomenon. He explains, 'First: young people have a very low perception of what actual risk is. They are irrationally optimists. That kind of audacity is required in entrepreneurship. Second: access to capital. Now, venture capitalists are open to funding first-time founders, even really young ones. Then the likes of Shark Tank have made entrepreneurship a family conversation. Third, AI has dramatically reduced the cost of starting up, particularly in tech.' He believes that entrepreneurs are only going to get Kumar, who is from Motihari, Bihar, is studying in Class XII at Jayshree Periwal International School, Jaipur, on a full scholarship. He says he started his entrepreneurial journey at age 14 when he got his first laptop. It was a T-shirt business that folded sooner than the tees. 'I was an entrepreneur even before I could pronounce the word.' Since then, he worked on many ideas which eventually shut like the social enterprise Mission Badlao and an online tutoring site Learnly. Now he is building Skillzo that brings 21st century skills to students, particularly in underserved geographies, by offering entrepreneurship programmes and mentorship to them. 'I want to give tools to kids like me. This year we are planning to upskill 1 lakh students using a model we are developing through AI,' says Kumar, who has more than 12,000 followers on feels his entrepreneurship has created opportunities—he is a Google Youth Advisor through the consumer insights agency Canvas8, which means he's one of the 58 advisors chosen worldwide that ensure that Google keeps youth needs front and centre when creating new products, features and has also got the backing of his school CEO Ayush youngsters are concerned about everything from mental health to hair care to taxes. Nashik-based Vaikhari Sonawane, 18, calls herself a hustler. 'I was in a dummy school after Class X. I didn't socialise a lot for two years. All my free time was for building up Aatman, which started as a mental health blog four years ago.' Wanting to do more, she worked with Dr Vasantrao Pawar Medical College, Hospital & Research Centre to devise a mental health curriculum for students. She says Aatman has been able to take mental health education to over 300,000 students. Sonawane also has started Chamak, a marketing agency, with a friend and is not shy of trying out new things. In 2023 she started Schola, a platform for high schoolers to connect with college students. 'It folded in two years, but it taught me why paperwork is important.'Paperwork is what Anoushka Poddar, 16, wants to learn in her third year of entrepreneurship. A student of Dhirubhai Ambani International School, Mumbai, she started Snazz, a personal care brand for teens, as a response to her own struggles with skin, hair and confidence.'It took me eight months to develop the formulations for my shampoo and conditioner, working with lab assistants and a factory in Thane. At that time, no one would take me seriously.' Her parents helped her with the legalities. Monthly, she says, Snazz sells about 1,000 pieces at Rs 650 each. She is planning to launch lip balms and sunscreen this year. The biggest issue? 'Time management. The older you get in school the less free time you have.'For 17-year-old Manas Sood, founder o f TaxCity—a card game that gamifies the tax system—age is a hindrance. Initially, he had a tough time convincing schools to let him hold sessions on taxes and finances. He launched the game in 2023 and, in two years, he says it has been distributed in about 45 schools across 14 states and has generated Rs 5.5 lakh through sales.'We are working to launch an online version this year,' he says. Sood wants 17 to launch in three countries by 2027—US, UK and Nepal. 'Nearly 70% of projects started by under-18 students are abandoned when they go to college,' he says, adding that TaxCity is not going to meet that fate even though he starts college in the University of Southern California . He plans to introduce seven more games in the next two LinkedIn yielded two internships and 8 of 12 collaborators for Sood, Instagram is the launch pad for Thane-based Nidhi Nair. The 20-year-old is a cofounder of the event management company Saddi Galli whose 'Scam Sangeet' aka fake sangeet parties have gone viral. It started as a 'timepass' for Nair and her three friends— Paras Chaudhari (event head), Alisha Chowri (event stylist) and Gaurav Joshi (logistics head). Nair, who is the marketing head, says, 'We didn't think of this as entrepreneurship! But after we went viral, we got sponsors, the event was sold out and now we have a calendar of events. Even someone from Shark Tank approached us!' She says being young can make securing sponsorships distrust is par for the course for young founders. Hyderabad-based Appalla Saikiran, founder of Scope, an invite-only networking and fundraising platform for startups, is quite familiar with it. When he started his entrepreneurial journey five years ago, at age 17, no one gave him the time of day. 'As a young entrepreneur, you are constantly under scrutiny. If you ease a bit, people will say you are slacking off or have lost interest. You can't afford to make a is seen as fraud in India.'Rohit Kashyap, 23, who started out at 14 in Patna with the now defunct foodtech venture Foodcubo, is a self-taught entrepreneur. He says entrepreneurship happened because of 'zaroorat', necessity. 'Nowadays people take up entrepreneurship because it is cool or for college admissions abroad. This has created hurdles for us as investors do not take us seriously. Entrepreneurship is not starting a business, it's a skill,' he says. In 2019, he started Maytree School of Entrepreneurship, which works with first-time entrepreneurs and state governments to develop startup ecosystems in the grassroots level. Kashyap says LinkedIn, where he has more than 10,000 followers, and Quora, with over 25,000 followers, have helped him: 'Influence is helpful but nothing works better than a personal connection. Five friends are more effective than 5,000 followers.'Ajinkya Jadhav created his first venture WeAllTeen, a youth-led think tank, at age 17. At 26, he is now leading Praesidio Care, headquartered in Greater Nashik. It incubates ventures focused on healthcare, mobility and public safety. He says 'startup' means something totally different today from five years ago. 'It's not just about hypergrowth or raising millions. Now, a startup could be a solo founder building a product studio from their laptop, a niche D2C brand selling through Instagram, or even an AI tool with 200 loyal users. What matters is purpose, clarity and execution—not scale.' It's a 'start now, scale later' contends that while titles like 'founder' or 'CEO' are used a bit loosely, that's not a bad thing. 'Everyone has their own reasons for claiming it. In many cases, that title simply means, 'I'm serious about this.' But investors, mentors and accelerators look past want to know if there's something real underneath. Is there a real problem being solved? Is there any kind of traction—early users, feedback loops, partnerships? Do founders understand their market—the size, the gaps, the competition? Is there team strength? That separates a cool idea from a real company.'Warikoo agrees. He tells young founders to not think this will be for the long term: 'What you are is a builder, what you are is a problem solver, and that doesn't mean you only have to solve one problem in your entire life.'Tanvi Bhatt, personal brand strategist for entrepreneurs, says building a personal brand is more important than ever. Her advice: don't copypaste using AI, be authentic, be clear of your purpose. 'Thought leadership gets built when you bring a perspective to the table, your own unique lens of looking at things. Don't do it because everyone else is doing it or do what everyone else is doing.' Her advice is to not use the title 'CEO' as that's earned after a certain leadership experience. 'Founder or explorer is a better fit. It's also strategic as it means you are open to learning.' And the learning curve is steep and long. Warikoo says, 'Keep trying because statistics say, at least in the US, entrepreneurial performance rises with age.' What the young founders have is a head start.
Barnama
6 days ago
- Health
- Barnama
Why Some Foreign Workers Remain Underserved Despite PERKESO Coverage
T wo foreign workers were injured on the job in Malaysia but their stories couldn't have been more different. One — Jebaraj Kumar (not his real name) from India — died alone, with his hospital bills unpaid. His body remained in the morgue for nearly two months and was only flown back to India in a closed casket after the outstanding bills were settled. The other — Sri Handayani or Riyanie, a 49-year-old maid from Indonesia — was hit by a car while heading to the grocery store. She was treated and discharged within hours, received a month of physiotherapy, and has since returned to work. The incidents happened about a year apart. The Malaysian government-backed insurance scheme for workers, the Social Security Organisation (PERKESO), paid for both medical bills. All workers, foreign and local, are required by law to be enrolled in PERKESO, which not only pays for medical bills for injuries and illnesses sustained at work, but also disability and death benefits. But Jebaraj did not receive any help from PERKESO until almost two months after his death, while Riyanie received assistance almost immediately. Their stories expose the stark difference in outcome on a system that arguably relies too much on employers and luck for workers with little support system here. 'For migrants, it is essential to be covered by (PERKESO) as migrants work in 3D (dirty, dangerous, difficult) sectors where injuries can happen anytime,' said Sumitha Shaanthinni Kishna, founder and director of the migrant labour rights group Our Journey. 'PERKESO has a very strong system when it works as intended.' Sumitha Shaanthinni Kishna. WITHOUT PERKESO The case of Jebaraj illustrates what could happen to a worker if the unthinkable happened without PERKESO's assistance. On March 6, 2024, the 48-year old man from Tamil Nadu, India was working in the kitchen of a restaurant in Bangsar, when a gas tank exploded. He sustained severe burns on 80 per cent of his body and was the only one injured, according to news reports on the incident. He was brought to Kuala Lumpur Hospital (HKL) for treatment. No one had notified his family. His 25-year-old daughter, who asked to be identified only as Suba, told Bernama via an interpreter that they only knew something was wrong when her father failed to call them at 6.30 pm as scheduled. She called her father's employer, who informed her that Jebaraj had been injured at work and was in the hospital. 'He told me my father was ok, he was awake and talking,' she said via Google Meet. 'We didn't fly to see him because we thought he was going to be ok.' She said in reality, her father was in a coma. She and her mother asked to talk to Jebaraj, or see photos of him recovering in the hospital, but the employer said HKL did not allow any phones on its premises. Things got worse from there. Jebaraj passed away on June 2, 2024. But Suba and her mother would not be able to bury him until almost two months later. She claimed that Jebaraj's employer tried to persuade the family to bury him in Malaysia, citing the extensive paperwork involved in repatriating the body. She then asked her father's friend to check on her father's case and found out that the body had not been released because of unpaid hospital bills. Suba does not know whether her father's employer reported the case to PERKESO, as required by law. In any case, it appears PERKESO was not involved in Rebaraj's case until Sumitha—whose NGO is representing Suba and her mother—petitioned the organisation to cover the hospital bill and provide the entitlements owed to them. When contacted, Jebaraj's employers said he had PERKESO coverage at the time of the incident but did not explain why the hospital bills were left unpaid. PERKESO confirmed to Bernama via WhatsApp that Jebaraj was covered. 'PERKESO has investigated this case and confirmed that the case is covered under the Employment Injury Scheme (Act 4) and eligible to receive benefits from PERKESO,' the group said. Suba confirmed her mother has begun receiving dependent's benefits through the scheme. Malaysia made PERKESO coverage mandatory for foreign workers in 2019, and expanded its Invalidity Scheme to foreign workers in July 2024 to provide disability pension, funeral and death benefits, as well as survivors' benefits. Failure to comply could result in a RM10,000 fine or two-years' imprisonment or both. PERKESO has covered Malaysian workers' since 1971 via the Employees' Social Security Act 1969 (Act 4), Self-Employment Social Security Act 2017 (Act 789) and Employment Insurance System Act 2017 (Act 800). WITH PERKESO Riyanie vividly recalls the terrifying moment the car struck her—her body and purse flying into the air. Just moments earlier, she had been waiting for the light to turn green so she could cross. Now, she lay sprawled in the middle of the road in Puchong like a rag doll, blood covering her face and body, the contents of her purse scattered around her. 'I could tell it was bad because there was so much blood. My hand was covered in blood,' said the Indonesian domestic worker to Bernama. Pedestrians and the remorseful driver helped her contact her employer and took her to the nearest clinic and then to Putrajaya Hospital. Her employer met her there, stayed by her side during the X-rays, helped her through treatment for a scalp gash, and arranged her physiotherapy sessions. She also assisted Ryanie fill out the necessary forms. Not once during that time did she worry about accessing medical care, including the physical rehabilitation for muscle damage on her right side. 'I received physiotherapy from PERKESO too—they covered everything,' she said, adding that her employer had enrolled her in the programme as required by law, and also provided coverage under the Indonesian government's workers' insurance scheme. The accident took place on May 6 this year. Today, Riyanie is fully healed, healthy and moving without any aches or pains. She described the entire process as smooth and mostly hassle-free. All she had to do was provide her PERKESO number to the hospital staff, and if she didn't have it, her employer would do it for her. For Riyanie, the system worked as intended. DIFFERENCES IN RESPONSE Both are foreign workers who met with an accident at work. Both have PERKESO coverage. Yet, the paths diverged sharply. Experts said the difference came down to how helpful the employers are. For foreign workers, who are often alone and lack a support network here, this reliance on the employer is compounded. Malaysian workers who are recent transplants may be in a similar situation. Bar Council Migrants and Refugees Committee Co-Chair Datuk Seri Ramachelvam told Bernama the onus was mostly on employers contacting PERKESO when accidents happen. 'There's also nothing barring an employee from reporting, but employees are less likely to report it in the sense of the lack of knowledge,' he told Bernama via Zoom. Media reports of serious or deadly incidents are not enough to trigger PERKESO action either as there is no way to know who the workers involved were or whether they were contributors to PERKESO. Under Malaysian law, not all workers are covered. Workers who earn more than RM6,000 are not required to have PERKESO coverage, a ceiling increase from RM 4,000 to RM5,000 on Sept 1, 2022, and another to RM6,000 on Oct 1, 2024. National Association of Human Resources Malaysia (PUSMA) president Zarina Ismail said the way PERKESO is set up, employers have an outsized role in looking after their employees. 'As employers, that is their responsibility. Whether it's a big or small company, once we hire workers—whether foreign or local—it is our duty to ensure their welfare,' she said. Nevertheless, labour experts said most employers are compliant and provide PERKESO and other coverage for their workers as required by law. FILLING IN GAPS That employers should be responsible for their employees' well-being is a given. But a system that hinges on them to activate benefits leaves too much room for failure. Labour experts say to prevent cases such as Jebaraj's, there needs to be changes at the systemic and administrative level. All said better communication between governmental agencies would help plug the gap in reporting and service. Attorney Michael Cheah, who deals with labour issues among others at AmerBON Advocates, blamed government agencies' tendency to work in siloes. 'The system is built in such a way that everyone operates in siloes so there's no integration between the agencies,' he said. Datuk Seri M. Ramachelvam (2023) COPYRIGHT RESERVED Ramachelvam agreed. He said having a standard operating procedure (SOP) in place where one department receiving a report triggers action from another agency would prevent cases from slipping through the cracks. For instance, the law mandates reporting of industrial accidents to the Department of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH). Should any worker die or be injured, DOSH can take note and inform PERKESO. 'I don't see why, when an accident is reported to the department (DOSH), there should (not) be an SOP for it to notify PERKESO as well—so that PERKESO can follow up,' he said. That future may not be long way off. Even now, the government is in the process of digitalisation and possibly digitally linking their services between agencies, as part of the five-year digitalisation plan, overseen by Jabatan Digital Negara (JDN). In the meantime, Riyanie—who still cares for her employer's elderly mother—considers herself fortunate to be working for a family that follows the rules. A mother of three grown children, she feels assured they will be taken care of should anything happen to her while she's away from home. 'I'm not worried because I have insurance,' she said, smiling. For Suba, her father's passing, alone and unconscious in a strange land, is still a source of pain. She last saw him in 2019 when he was in India for a vacation. 'He was supposed to come back last year to arrange my marriage,' she said. Instead, the next time Jebaraj was back on Indian soil, it was in a closed casket, buried hurriedly at 2 am without a priest attending the burial. 'I'm still heartbroken that I couldn't talk to him before he died.'
