Before the accident, Stephanie never gave much thought to social security. She was 28, self-employed, and building a solid career as a freelance graphic designer.
With a laptop and a growing list of clients, she had the freedom to work from anywhere - co-working cafés, her tiny home studio, even while travelling.
She managed her hours, chased passion projects, and felt proud of the career she was carving out on her own terms.
What she didn’t have was a safety net.
“I always thought, ‘I’m young and healthy - what could go wrong?’” she recalled. “I didn't have an HR department. I didn’t even know freelancers could get social security.”
The crash that changed everything
One Friday afternoon, Stephanie was walking to a meeting with a client, carrying printed mock-ups of a new logo design. She was just steps from the office building when a motorcycle suddenly veered into the pedestrian lane to bypass a jam.
The rider couldn’t stop in time. He clipped Stephanie at the hip, sending her tumbling hard onto the pavement. She landed awkwardly, instinctively using her hands to break the fall - only to feel a sharp, jarring pain shoot through her right wrist.
“The first thing I thought was, ‘Please don’t let it be broken. I need this hand to do literally everything.’”
A trip to the emergency department confirmed the worst: a fractured wrist on her dominant hand, requiring surgery and weeks of immobility. For a freelance designer who relied entirely on that hand to work, the implications were devastating.
‘Thank goodness for LINDUNG KENDIRI’
Just a few months earlier, Stephanie had registered for the Self-Employment Social Security Scheme (LINDUNG KENDIRI) offered by PERKESO, Malaysia’s social protection body.
It had been a simple, spur-of-the-moment decision, encouraged by another freelancer friend who told her it was “affordable and useful”.
“I figured, why not? It was only RM13.10 a month. I didn’t think I’d ever actually need it.”
However, that small decision has now made a big difference.
Through LINDUNG KENDIRI, Stephanie was eligible for a Temporary Disablement Benefit, which provided her with regular financial support during the weeks she was unable to work.
Her surgery, hospitalisation, and follow-up treatments, including physiotherapy, were fully covered under Medical Benefits.
She was also referred to a vocational rehabilitation programme, where she worked with an occupational therapist to rebuild strength, mobility, and confidence in her injured wrist.
A safety net she didn’t know she needed
“What really hit me was how fast PERKESO stepped in,” Stephanie said. “I didn’t have to fight or explain myself - they knew what I needed before I did. I thought, as a freelancer, I’d be left to deal with everything alone.”
Instead, LINDUNG KENDIRI gave her breathing room, financially and emotionally. It allowed her to rest without the pressure of rushing back to work before she was ready.
She still remembers the moment her physiotherapist told her she was strong enough to design again. “I cried,” she laughed. “Because I didn’t just get better. I got my career back.”
Why LINDUNG KENDIRI exists
Stephanie’s story isn’t an unusual one. Today, more Malaysians than ever are working outside of traditional employment structures as delivery riders, online sellers, part-time tutors, make-up artists, urban farmers, and more.
Yet many still believe that social security is only for salaried workers.
LINDUNG KENDIRI exists to challenge that mindset. It’s a dedicated protection scheme under the Self-Employment Social Security Act 2017, created specifically for the self-employed.
It recognises that while independent workers enjoy freedom and flexibility, they’re also highly vulnerable when something goes wrong.
The scheme currently protects those in 20 recognised self-employment sectors, including:
Online business owners (eg: Shopee, Lazada, Instagram shop owners)
Small traders (eg: hawkers, street vendors)
Service providers (eg: consultants, beauty therapists)
Independent professionals (eg: freelance writers, graphic designers, sole proprietor lawyers)
Creative industry workers (eg: photographers, musicians)
Agricultural sector workers (eg: farmers, fishers)
Food and beverage operators (eg: restaurant owners, food truck operators)
What you get when you contribute
Annual contributions start as low as RM157.20, with partial or full subsidies available for eligible groups, especially in mandatory sectors like p-hailing and agriculture.
Contributors receive coverage for:
Don’t wait until it’s too late
Today, Stephanie is back to freelancing - wiser, more cautious, and a strong believer in the importance of self-employed protection.
“I always thought insurance was for people with bosses,” she said. “But now I know. I may be my own boss, but I still need someone to have my back.”
Her advice to fellow freelancers and gig workers is simple: Don’t wait for an accident to realise what you're missing.
To learn more or register, visit www.perkeso.gov.my or walk into your nearest PERKESO office.
This Social Security series is in collaboration with PERKESO.
