PETALING JAYA: Almost three million housewives nationwide can soon enjoy protection under the Social Security Organisation’s (Socso) Housewife Social Safety Scheme (SKSSR), says Datuk Seri M. Saravanan (pic).

       "The scheme will provide protection towards domestic upheavals such as accidents, illnesses or even death and is open to about 2.99 million housewives," the Human Resources Minister said in a statement on Monday (Aug 9).

       He noted that the scheme would benefit, particularly, housewives from households below the national poverty line.

       "A total of 150,000 housewives from households below the national poverty line will be covered by the government with participation under the scheme being voluntary for other housewives,” he said.

       Saravanan added the decision to introduce the scheme comes after a Cabinet meeting on July 14 where the government agreed that housewives should also be given social security protection.

       Saravanan said it was recognised that housewives contributed value to the economy and development of the family institution or “Care Economy” but were not protected.

       "It is appropriate that the implementation of the SKSSR becomes a social security agenda as a productivity replacement for housewives who have no protection if they are involved in domestic upheavals or loss of ability," he added.

       He noted that providing social security protection for housewives was even more crucial now following the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic.

       "Their duties are important in the family institution and development of the nation.

       "The Covid-19 pandemic has made their role and responsibilities far more challenging due to new normal practices such as working from home and teaching and schooling from home at the People's Housing Projects (PPR)," he added.

       Saravanan said a draft of the scheme was currently being refined by his ministry and the Attorney General’s Chambers before submission for Cabinet's approval.

       He said the necessary amendments for implementation of the scheme would be tabled in Parliament soon.

       He, however, did not divulge details of the proposed scheme.

       In August 2018, housewives were allowed to make contributions to the i-Suri scheme as a means to widen the social security net to all groups in the country.

       The scheme was aimed at housewives, single mothers and widows registered under the e-Kasih programme to offer them some protection.

       Last September, Negri Sembilan became the first state to make Employees Provident Fund (EPF) contributions for housewives under the i-Suri scheme.