SNAPSHOT | PM announces worker aid including maternity allowance; armed forces truck crashes

KINI SNAPSHOT | What’s going on in the news today, with updates at 11am, 2pm, and 6pm.

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Worker aid initiatives

• Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim announced various initiatives in conjunction with Labour Day today, including a post-maternity leave allowance.

  Noting that the government has in principle agreed to the allowance under the Employment Insurance System Act 2017, Anwar said the aid will allow for additional leave of up to 30 days after the end of the 98-day maternity leave period.

  The benefit, which will involve amendments to the Act, is proposed at a rate of 80 percent of the assumed monthly salary of insured women employees, to be paid on a one-off basis.

• Putrajaya intends to amend the Self-Employment Social Security Act 2017 to extend the protection offered by the Social Security Organisation (Socso) to Malaysians working abroad, beginning with Malaysia-Singapore cross-border workers.

  

  Anwar said the initiative is expected to benefit more than 480,000 workers, noting that on average, about one Malaysian life is lost every week, or 54 deaths annually, among cross-border workers.

• The government will also implement an over RM710 million economic resilience package dubbed the Progressive Acceleration for Capability and Employment (Pace).

  The package is to encourage human capital development and labour market stability, and the Human Resources Ministry, through Socso, has prepared more than RM580 million in Employment Insurance System funds to help workers who have lost their jobs.

  Putrajaya, through the Human Resource Development Corporation (HRDCorp), has allocated RM100 million to ensure that youths and vulnerable groups remain competitive and productive.

  To diversify skills and strengthen the social security protection of gig workers, including e-hailing and p-hailing workers, the government has channelled an allocation of RM20 million to the Skills Development Fund Corporation.

  Additionally, Anwar said the government will provide an industrial training matching grant to support micro, small, and medium enterprises as well as start-up companies that take in industrial trainees, with the initiative to be funded by TalentCorp via an RM10 million allocation.

Road accident

• Fifteen soldiers were injured after an armed forces truck lost control and crashed into a toll plaza along the Sungai Besi-Ulu Kelang Elevated Expressway (Suke) in Ampang Jaya on Thursday (April 30).

  Ampang Jaya police chief Khairul Anuar Khalid reportedly said the incident occurred at about 4.40pm yesterday at the Bukit Teratai toll plaza.

  

  “Initial investigations revealed that the truck, travelling from Kem Sungai Besi towards Kuala Kubu Bharu, is believed to have suffered brake failure before the driver lost control and crashed into the toll plaza area,” he said in a statement, according to The Star.

  He said all 15 passengers seated at the rear of the vehicle sustained injuries and were taken to Ampang Hospital by ambulance.

  Khairul said police are investigating the case under Section 43 of the Road Transport Act 1987 for careless and inconsiderate driving.

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