PETALING JAYA: Almost three million housewives nationwide can soon enjoy protection under the Social Security Organisation’s (Socso) Housewife Social Safety Scheme, 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 all housewives, estimated to be around 2.99 million.

       “A total of 150,000 housewives from households below the national poverty line will stand to benefit and be covered by the government.

       “As for other housewives, their participation in the scheme is voluntarily,” he said in a statement.

       Saravanan said the decision to introduce the scheme came after a Cabinet meeting on July 14 in which it agreed that housewives should be given social security protection.

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

       “It is appropriate that the implementation of the scheme 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 said.

       Saravanan noted that providing social security protection for housewives was even more crucial now due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

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

       “The pandemic has made their role and responsibilities more challenging under the new normal such as working from home and teaching and schooling from home at People’s Housing Projects,” he said.

       The minister also said a draft of the scheme was currently being refined under the ministry and the Attorney General’s Chambers before submission to the Cabinet for approval.

       He said the necessary amendments would be tabled in Parliament soon.

       He, however, did not divulge the 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 EPF contributions for housewives under the i-Suri scheme.