MIRI, August 28: The Social Security Organisation (Socso) has paid out more RM1.9 million to a number of beneficiaries here in the first seven months of this year.
“But for the whole state, the amount disbursed for the period Jan-June this year is RM11.58 million,” said state Socso director Philip Sangkan at Miri Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) Service Centre here yesterday. Also present were Miri MP Dr Michael Teo and Sosco Miri manager Griffin Francis.
Philip was at the service centre to hand over cheques to seven beneficiaries, where two were related to cases that happened in Tanjong Lobang and Kuala Sibuti last month. Both victims, who were Socso contributors, drowned.
On a related matter, Philip said 32 employers in Miri were slapped with compounds totalling RM22,500 so far this year for failure or delay in registering their employees.
For the whole of last year, 143 cases were prosecuted in the state, including 20 in Kuching.
Philip advised all employers to register their workers because under Section 5(1) of the Employees Social Security Act (amended 2016), employers who fail to register their workers with Socso as of June 2016 will have to pay a compound of between RM500 and RM4,000.
On the ‘Caring Squad’, Philip explained that it was a special team created to enlighten the public about their rights as Socso contributors. The squad moves about regularly to spread the message with the hope of delivering a better service to the people.
Philip said his office had been trying to speed up payment to beneficiaries once all the relevant documentations were received.
“Currently, we are on alert for news or reports that came out in newspapers. This is apart from reports lodged via walk-ins. With the Caring Squad, we hope to reach more people,” he said. — DayakDaily
