All taxi drivers including Grab Car and Uber will have to register with Socso

KUALA LUMPUR: All taxi drivers, including those driving for Grab Car and Uber, will have to register with the Social Security Organisation (Socso) under the government's social security net plan, said Socso chief executive Datuk Dr Mohammed Azman Aziz Mohammed.
He said it does not matter whether they are full-time or part-time drivers as registering with Socso is a requirement under the Self-Employment Social Security Act 2017.
He said those who work full-time but drive part-time will also have to contribute to the scheme as their employer's scheme does not cover them after work.
He said taxi drivers will not be able to renew their public service vehicle licence if they fail to register.
He added that Socso officials will work with Grab and Uber to get their drivers registered because they have a list of all those working for them.
He pointed out that drivers will have to pay their contribution upon registration unlike now where employers only pay the contributions at the end of the month.
He said the government will be making a one-off contribution of RM60 million to the scheme.
"We hope to complete the whole process by the end of June as the the Act officially comes into force on June 1.
"We have the power to take action against drivers who fail to register but we will not be going down that road at the moment. We rather they voluntarily register," Mohammed Azman said at a press conference today.
He said they had no intention of making drivers' lives hard but Socso simply wants to ensure that they have some sort of social security to rely on when something untoward happens.
He said they will holding a month-long awareness campaign to get the drivers to register.
He added that they can register online via i-Perkeso, and if they face problems they can visit any Socso office to register for the scheme.
Mohammed Azman urged all drivers to register because the social security scheme is there to help them in their time of need.