Ramanan to prioritise gig work council, new human resources policy

The establishment of the Gig Consultative Council and Gig Workers Tribunal, as well as the drafting of the National Human Resources Policy 2026-2035, are among the Human Resources Ministry’s immediate priorities.

Minister R Ramanan said the measures were to empower the country’s employment ecosystem within the next two years and would serve as a fair, efficient, and reality-focused governance and dispute resolution mechanism for the realities of gig work.

He said the drafting of the Human Resources Policy is to ensure the welfare of workers, especially in terms of protection, safety, employment opportunities and skills development.

“As human resources minister, my main emphasis is to ensure that the welfare of workers is always a priority, whether in terms of protection, safety, employment opportunities or skills development.

“The Human Resources Ministry functions for all Malaysian workers, irrespective of race, background or employment sector,” he told a press conference after his “clock in” session and briefing with the ministry’s senior management today.

To set up the Gig Consultative Council and Gig Tribunal, Ramanan said an interim team is being formed to ensure the council’s establishment is successful by the first quarter of 2026.

He said other priorities for the ministry are labour law reform, the implementation of the National Action Plan on Forced Labour 2.0 (2026-2030) and the introduction of a multi-tier levy mechanism.

“I am fully committed to working closely with the ministry’s senior management, the ministry’s staff, and departments and agencies under the ministry to ensure that the policies and initiatives implemented truly benefit the people.

“With the cooperation of all parties, we can continue to strengthen the country’s employment system to make it more resilient, sustainable, and worker-welfare-focused,” he also said.

Ramanan expressed his appreciation to Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim for the trust and confidence placed in him to lead the Human Resources Ministry.

“I wish to express my gratitude and appreciation to Steven Sim, the former human resources minister, for the important efforts and initiatives he undertook throughout his term of service,” he added.

- Bernama

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