KUALA LUMPUR – The government should adopt an entrepreneur-like approach in addressing complexities faced by workers within the ever-evolving gig economy, said a public policy analyst.
Speaking at a forum hosted by MyDigital Corporation’s Malaysia Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution (Centre4IR) here today, researcher Edwin Goh advocated for the government to adopt a regulatory sandbox-like method in its efforts to formulate policies regarding gig workers’ welfare.
A regulatory sandbox typically refers to when an authority facilitates overall innovation by granting flexibilities for potential solutions to be experimented on in certain environments.
“Whichever entity is given the mandate to look after gig workers, the government should take the first step to lead like an entrepreneur by testing and looking for a viable product,” he said at the event commemorating Malaysia Centre4IR’s first anniversary.
“In this case, the government has to determine what sort of regulatory innovation can work to ensure gig workers’ welfare or help them facilitate a career succession.
“It would be ideal to come up with a regulatory sandbox where new ideas, which could potentially work for different types of gig workers with different needs, can be tested and rolled out after experiments prove that they work.”
Malaysia Centre4IR senior director Ellina Roslan and Grab regional public affairs and policy head Brendan Chia were also part of the forum discussion on the centre’s “What Gig Workers Really Want” white paper, which was earlier launched at the event.
The study, which commenced earlier this year and explores the demographics, motivations, earnings and experience of 1,500 gig workers nationwide, noted several recommendations for platform providers and policymakers.
Commending the white paper as a “comprehensive overview” of gig workers’ needs, Chia assured Grab will consider suggestions posited in the study, urging government agencies to take a “coordinator-approach” in holistically addressing the gig economy.
“We will assess what is most helpful from the white paper and corroborate its findings by speaking with our own driver and delivery partners before seeing how we can proceed in helping to create a sustainable gig economy.
“The government themselves have identified over 20 sectors which have gig workers, so the gig economy is not just one company or industry as it also encompasses gig workers across agriculture and manufacturing services.
“From that lens, it’s important for the government to understand how they intend to improve gig workers’ wellbeing through social protection or upskilling initiates across different sets of workers.”
Pointing to the white paper’s finding of how gig workers primarily value the flexibility, accessibility and supplemental income provided by the gig economy, Chia said Grab believes it is possible to formulate government policies that protect workers without detracting from the economy’s main attractions.
“There can be a vision where you have the best of both worlds (where) gig workers have flexibility and regulations don’t take away from that flexibility.
“One way not to do it is to force gig workers to be classified as employees (as) that immediately takes away the flexibility appeal, even though it will give them access to social protection and the likes.”
Grab Malaysia is part of the Self-Employment Social Security Scheme (SKSPS) in partnership with the Social Security Organisation (Socso).
In June, it was reported that more than 180,000 Grab drivers and dispatchers received SKSPS contributions under the matching contribution initiative where 90% is borne by the government while the remaining 10% is sponsored by the company.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim previously said the government is set to table a bill on the establishment of a Gig Workers Commission in the Dewan Rakyat next month.
The bill seeks to address the increasing participation of young Malaysians in freelance and contract-based employment. – June 20, 2024