Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) is deeply shocked by the Cabinet’s decision to make the SOCSO Lindung 24 Jam scheme voluntary, after it was launched barely a month ago as a mandatory programme. This sudden reversal was revealed by Government Spokesperson Fahmi Fadzil, following a Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.

The Lindung 24/7 scheme was a long-standing goal of SOCSO, achieved after years of advocacy and effort. Today, those years of work have been thrown out the window, reducing what was once a vital social security measure to a toothless, optional add-on. This is a dangerous precedent. The progressive wage scheme was also made voluntary. By how thigns are going, they may even make the minimum wage act voluntary. This Cabinet decision is simply baffling.

If the government is going to make a U-turn on this critical scheme from mandatory to voluntary, then it should not be called Lindung 24 Jam. The very name implies round-the-clock protection. What we now have is protection only if you can afford it.

The scheme, launched last month, would have provided workers with protection against accidents occurring outside working hours. This was a hard-won victory, achieved through the persistent struggle of many, especially those within PERKESO themselves. During a recent meeting between PSM and PERKESO on 2 July 2026, we were informed that it was the Cabinet that insisted the entire cost be borne solely by workers, a suggestion that did not come from SOCSO itself. Now, it appears even that compromise has been overridden by the same Cabinet, most likely to appease certain vested interests.

Between 2018 and August 2025, SOCSO rejected 26,865 claims because they were classified as non-work-related accidents. The Lindung 24 Jam scheme was specifically designed to close this protection gap. Now, with the scheme made voluntary, it will be difficult as given the low wages of lower income workers, they may opt not to participate and make themselves vulnerable. In fact, the government could have simply borne the entire cost and make sure workers are protected 24/7.

This scheme was welcomed by PSM, workers, and trade unions alike, as it represented a crucial safety net. Contributions under the original scheme were to be fully borne by employees, with employers responsible for deduction and remittance. PSM did question why only workers are paying however this voluntary participation is even worse as it will inevitably lead to low take-up, especially among the workers who are lowly paid.
EPF and SOCSO contributions are mandatory for good reason. They are pillars of our social security system. This Cabinet decision has overridden the government’s own earlier position, which called the scheme a “critical safety net” and a “transformational step.” With this latest decision, it is no longer a safety net. It is, at best, an occasional safety net and it is certainly no longer transformative.

We call on the government to reverse this decision and restore the mandatory nature of the Lindung 24 Jam scheme. Workers deserve protection, not uncertainty.

S. Arutchelvan
Deputy Chairperson
Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM)
8 July 2026