Budget 2027: Gig workers welcome aid to ease costs, boost earnings

Budget 2027 includes welfare measures to lower operating costs and enhance earnings for gig workers like e-hailing drivers and delivery riders.

The initiative offers vehicle maintenance assistance, insurance coverage, and Social Security Organisation (Socso) contributions to improve social protection for gig workers.

Matching Employees Provident Fund (EPF) contributions aim to encourage retirement savings, supported by a joint RM160 million package from the government and Grab.

MELAKA, Oct 20 — E-hailing drivers and delivery riders have welcomed the welfare measures announced under Budget 2027, saying the initiatives will ease operating costs, improve earnings and strengthen social protection for gig workers.

Food delivery rider Mohd Iskandar Demali, 27, said assistance with vehicle maintenance and insurance coverage would help reduce the financial burden of working in the sector.

Having worked full-time around Banda Hilir for the past two years, he said the measures showed the government’s awareness of the challenges faced by gig workers amid rising living costs.

People may think delivery riders earn a good income, but we have to bear various expenses, particularly vehicle maintenance.

“I spend more than eight hours on the road every day delivering food, so my motorcycle needs frequent servicing to ensure my safety and prevent breakdowns,” he told Bernama.

E-hailing driver Sulaiman Ibrahim, 44, welcomed the government’s initiative, which was expected to raise drivers’ median monthly net income by up to RM227.

The single father of three children aged between three and 11 said vehicle-related expenses and daily living costs often took a significant share of his earnings.

“With the expected increase in net income, I hope to manage my family’s expenses better and save consistently for my children’s future,” said Sulaiman, who has worked in the sector for five years.

The view was also shared by another food delivery rider, Mohd Kusyairi Jamaluddin, 30, who described the matching contribution incentives for the Social Security Organisation (Socso) and Employees Provident Fund (EPF) as an important safety net.

“Food delivery work carries a high risk of accidents because we spend long hours on the road and have to fulfil orders quickly. I am very grateful for these measures,” said the rider who has worked in the gig sector for four years.

When tabling Budget 2027 in Parliament on October 9, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced that the government and ride-hailing platform provider Grab would jointly fund a RM160 million package to improve gig workers’ welfare from next year.

Under the initiative, median monthly net income is expected to rise by up to RM227 for e-hailing drivers and RM100 for delivery riders.

The package also includes vehicle maintenance assistance, insurance coverage, and Socso contributions.

The government is also offering matching EPF contributions of up to RM600 annually, capped at RM6,000 over a lifetime, to encourage retirement savings among gig workers. — Bernama

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2027 年预算案包含降低运营成本和提高零工人员（如网约车司机和外卖骑手）收入的福利措施。

该计划提供车辆维护援助、保险和社保机构（Socso）缴款，以改善零工劳动者的社会保障。

政府和 Grab 联合出资 1.6 亿令吉，为员工公积金 (EPF) 缴款提供配比，旨在鼓励退休储蓄。

马六甲，10 月 20 日讯——网约车司机和外卖骑手对 2027 年财政预算案中宣布的福利措施表示欢迎，称这些举措将减轻运营成本、提高收入并加强零工人员的社会保障。

27岁的送餐员莫哈末·伊斯坎达尔·德马利表示，如果能获得车辆维护和保险方面的援助，将有助于减轻该行业从业人员的经济负担。

过去两年一直在班达希利尔附近全职工作的他表示，这些措施表明政府意识到了零工人员在生活成本不断上涨的情况下所面临的挑战。

人们可能认为外卖员收入不错，但我们必须承担各种费用，特别是车辆保养费用。

“我每天花八个小时以上时间在路上送外卖，所以我的摩托车需要经常保养，以确保我的安全并防止发生故障，”他告诉马新社。

44岁的网约车司机苏莱曼·易卜拉欣对政府的这项举措表示欢迎，预计该举措将使司机的月净收入中位数增加高达227令吉。

这位有三个孩子（年龄在 3 岁到 11 岁之间）的单身父亲表示，车辆相关费用和日常生活开支经常占据他收入的很大一部分。

“随着净收入的预期增长，我希望能够更好地管理家庭开支，并为孩子们的未来持续储蓄，”在该行业工作了五年的苏莱曼说道。

另一位送餐员，30岁的莫哈末·库西亚里·贾马鲁丁也表达了类似的观点，他认为社会保障机构（Socso）和雇员公积金（EPF）的匹配缴款激励措施是一项重要的安全网。

“送餐工作事故风险很高，因为我们要在路上待很长时间，而且必须快速完成订单。我非常感谢这些措施，”这位从事零工行业四年的骑手说道。

10月9日，首相拿督斯里安华·易卜拉欣在国会提交2027年财政预算案时宣布，政府和网约车平台提供商Grab将共同出资1.6亿令吉，从明年开始改善零工人员的福利。

根据这项计划，网约车司机的月净收入中位数预计将增加至多 227 令吉，外卖骑手的月净收入中位数预计将增加至多 100 令吉。

该套餐还包括车辆维修援助、保险和社保缴款。

政府还为零工人员提供每年最高600令吉的公积金（EPF）配比供款，终身上限为6000令吉，以鼓励他们进行退休储蓄。——马新社

林冠英敦促政府考虑为在雾霾危机期间购买空气净化器的马来西亚人提供1000令吉的税收回扣。

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