Socso pledges to ensure employer compliance on contributions, protect employees’ interests

KUALA LUMPUR: The Social Security Organisation (Socso) is committed to strengthening its role in ensuring all employers fulfil their obligations under the Socso Act.

Further, the agency will focus on its twofold goals of enhancing employer compliance and protecting employees’ long-term interests by ensuring continued contributions to Socso and the Employees Provident Fund (EPF), as mandated under the respective acts.

Socso and the Malaysian Aviation Commission (Mavcom) entered into a partnership today to protect aviation workers on Sosco contributions and to match those in the industry with job opportunities.

Mavcom executive chairman Datuk Seri Saripuddin Kasim said the partnership is part of the aviation industry regulator’s efforts to ensure employers comply with the laws to make the Socso contributions and to protect employees’ welfare.

“This effort is carried out in close cooperation with Socso, and we are fortunate to have their partnership as we take this first step.

“We are pleased to collaborate with the Employees Provident Fund as part of our broader effort to ensure industry compliance. This collaboration aims to enforce employers’ adherence to the relevant acts – particularly the Socso Act – and safeguard employees’ interests.

“The lessons we learned during the Covid-19 pandemic have underscored the importance of these contributions. The crisis highlighted critical gaps, making it clear that employees must have consistent and reliable access to EPF and Socsc protection,” he told reporters at the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between Mavcom and Socso.

Socso group CEO Datuk Seri Mohammed Azman Aziz Mohammed said the MoU focuses on two key priorities.

First, it strengthens compliance within the aviation sector.

“Through this collaboration, Socso and Mavcom will facilitate the exchange of data to ensure employers adhere to the relevant regulations. This is critical to guaranteeing social protection for aviation employees, ensuring their welfare is safeguarded.”

Second, the partnership aims to boost job placement and career opportunities within the aviation industry.

Mohammed Azman said the Covid-19 pandemic had a devastating impact on the sector, affecting everyone from ground staff to technical crews and resulting in widespread job losses.

To address this, he said, Socso will work closely with Mavcom and industry stakeholders to organise targeted job fairs and career programmes for aviation workers.

“Our collaboration with Mavcom introduces innovative solutions to tackle current industry challenges and prioritising the placement of skilled Malaysian workers in critical roles, which will effectively reduce our dependency on foreign labour while maintaining high industry standards.

“A cornerstone of this strategic alliance is the upcoming National Career Exploration Centre (NPCEC), scheduled to launch in 2025. This comprehensive initiative comprises three (3) distinct components: a physical centre providing direct support services, an innovative NPCEC Metaverse platform for digital career exploration, and a Metaverse Career Carnival facilitates virtual networking between job seekers and employers.

“The NPCEC will serve as a hub for employment assistance, offering valuable labour market insights and transitional guidance for students and graduates entering the aviation sector,” Mohammed Azman said.

In conjunction with the MoU signing, Socso organised the MYFutureJobs Aviation Mini Career Fair featuring five leading industry players – Menzies Aviation Malaysia, Turkish Aerospace Malaysia, Ikhlas.com, Santan (Air Asia Group), and APR – Aviation Training Centre with 134 job opportunities across 14 specialised categories.