KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 11: Some 150,000 housewives living under the poverty line will soon benefit from a scheme to be launched next year by the Social Security Organisation (Sosco), called the Housewife Social Safety Scheme.
According to online news portal Free Malaysia Today quoting Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri M Saravanan, he said the Federal Cabinet has agreed on July 14 to provide housewives with some form of social security, which is not available to them at the moment.
“A total of 150,000 housewives from households below the national poverty line will be covered by the government, while for other housewives, participation is voluntary,” he said.
Saravanan added the scheme would provide protection against domestic incidents such as accidents, illnesses or death and is open to all housewives nationwide.
He explained that social security for housewives was necessary to safeguard their welfare and well-being as they also played an important role in the family institution and national development.
“Currently, a draft of the Housewives Social Security Bill is being refined by the human resources ministry and attorney-general’s chambers before the Cabinet’s approval is obtained to table it in Parliament in the near future,” Saravanan said.— DayakDaily
