PARLIAMENT The Dewan Rakyat this evening passed amendments to the Employees’ Social Security (Amendment) Bill 2015, which allows the Social Security Organisation (Socso) to establish a company.

Both Dr Michael Jeyakumar (PSM-Sungai Siput) and Mohamed Hanipa Maidin (Amanah-Sepang) failed in their bid to seek the House to amend certain provisions of the bill.

Hanipa had proposed to take down the provision that will allow Socso to establish and take over a company.

Jeyakumar demanded that a Bank Negara Malaysia representative continues to sit in the Socso Investment Panel and that Malaysian Trades Union Congress (MTUC) representatives be increased to two panellists.

The bill was passed by voice vote, without any changes. The opposition lawmakers had raised concerns on the use of the RM23.3 billion of Socso funds for bailout purposes.

Human Resources Minister Richard Riot said Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) itself asked for its representative to be removed from the panel.

This was done when BNM reviewed its involvement in Socso and the panel, Richard said.

The government had passed the Central Bank of Malaysia 2009 (Amendment) Bill, which allowed the bank to withdraw its representative from the committee and institute, he added.

"The amendment is not meant to (use Socso's funds) to bail out any company," Richard promised.

Once the bill is enacted, Socso will set up a company to manage its Socso Rehabiliation Centre (SRC) in Malacca.

"I invite the MPs to the rehabiliation centre - the most advanced in Southeast Asia - to see for themselves," Richard ( photo ) said.

"I have visited the centre twice and I shed tears. I saw for myself how the people, who lost their hands and legs, are able to feed themself in three months," he added.

Met in the Parliament lobby later, Richard said Socso would gain profits if it invests in property.

With the amendment, employees with the wages of RM4,000 a month and self-employed groups would be insured, he said.

Socso would be able to establish and takeover a company to carry out, administer, conduct and manage any project, joint venture, privatisation programme, scheme, enterprise or any other matter that has been planned or undertaken by Socso.