KUALA LUMPUR, October 10 – The government has announced a series of initiatives under Budget 2026 to enhance social protection for Malaysians, particularly gig workers, self-employed individuals, and housewives. Under the new i-Saraan Plus scheme, gig, e-hailing, and p-hailing workers will receive matching contributions of up to RM600 per year, or RM6,000 over their lifetime, to encourage savings with the Employees Provident Fund (EPF).
The existing i-Saraan scheme for informal and self-employed workers will also continue, offering up to RM500 in yearly matching contributions. In addition, the government will cover 70% of SOCSO contributions for gig workers newly registered under the Self-Employment Social Security Scheme, with a 50% incentive for the second year.
The eligibility age for i-Suri has also been raised to 60 years, aligning with the national retirement age. Meanwhile, SOCSO will expand its rehabilitation centres in Melaka, Perak, Terengganu, and Penang, while increasing the maximum hemodialysis treatment rate from RM150 to RM170, amounting to an additional RM52 million in annual expenditure.
