Human resources minister R Ramanan said the matter would be prioritised by the Gig Advisory Council, which comprises representatives from the government, gig workers and contracting entities.
“I understand that the issue of gig workers’ income rates are among the main concerns frequently raised by gig workers. As such, this will be among the first items to be discussed by the Gig Advisory Council to negotiate a comprehensive solution,” he said at a press conference here.
The council, comprising 26 members, will begin its term on April 1. Its first meeting is scheduled for April 3.
Ramanan said Act 872 was drafted following 37 engagement sessions with 3,873 stakeholders, including government agencies, trade unions, platform providers and gig workers.
He said it marked a significant step in safeguarding gig workers in line with evolving employment trends, adding that Malaysia had taken a more comprehensive approach than other regional neighbours, including Singapore, Indonesia and the Philippines.
About 1.64 million gig workers in Malaysia are expected to benefit from the law, which provides clearer protections such as contract transparency, dispute resolution mechanisms and social security coverage.
Under the Act, gig workers are defined as Malaysian citizens or permanent residents with service agreements who receive payment for work performed. The protections do not extend to foreign workers.
The law covers both platform-based and non-platform workers, including those in e-hailing, p-hailing, journalism, entertainment and other service sectors, with provisions to include additional sectors in the future.
Ramanan said the Act preserved the flexibility of gig work and did not disrupt the existing gig economy ecosystem.
A dedicated online system will also be launched tomorrow to enable workers to submit complaints online, with decisions to be delivered within 21 days.
Complaints may also be lodged with any agency under the human resources ministry.
Disputes can be resolved through mediation and, if unresolved, escalated to the Gig Workers Tribunal.
A 1.25% contribution to the Social Security Organisation (Perkeso) will also be automatically deducted from gig workers’ daily earnings, without affecting tips or incentives.
On integrating Perkeso systems into platform operations, Ramanan said companies were notified in March last year, given multiple briefings, and also had a three- to six-month adjustment period.
In cases involving misconduct or criminal offences, he said platform providers were prohibited from deactivating a worker’s account for internal investigations for more than 14 days.
Workers whose accounts are deactivated over alleged misconduct are entitled to 50% compensation of estimated income lost over the duration of the suspension.