KUALA LUMPUR — Several gig economy platforms have thanked the government for delaying the Gig Workers Bill and reiterated their offer to facilitate more studies to ensure the proposed law will be fair and comprehensive one to all stakeholders.
Bolt, FastGig, foodpanda, GoGet, Grab, Halo Delivery, Kiddocare, Lalamove, and ShopeeFood welcomed the Human Resources Ministry’s willingness to engage with industry players and gig workers to ensure that the Bill is practical, sustainable, and aligned with the realities of gig work.
“This collaborative approach is a positive step toward protecting gig workers while fostering innovation, competition, and opportunities for all.
“As platforms that are partnering with more than a million gig workers in Malaysia, we stand ready to support the government through meaningful dialogue, data sharing, and pilot initiatives,” they said in a joint statement today.
The industry players proposed facilitating a feasibility and impact study to gather direct input from gig workers and platforms.
This would help assess “practical implementation” of the Bill’s key provisions, they said.
They also proposed facilitating a regulatory sandbox to “test new measures, refine solutions, and ensure the Bill is practical, sustainable, fair, and mutually beneficial to both gig workers and the ecosystem”.
Reiterating that they are not opposed to the Gig Workers Bill, the industry players said they remain fully committed in partnership with the government to develop a balanced regulatory framework.
“We recognise that fair treatment of gig workers is crucial for the industry as their well-being and satisfaction will ultimately create a thriving and innovative ecosystem. Our long term goal is to establish safeguards that protect gig workers’ livelihoods while simultaneously encouraging the continued growth of Malaysia’s digital economy.”
On Feb 28, the government announced that the Gig Workers Bill had been put on hold for further deliberation after the cabinet had considered differing viewpoints.
The postponement followed a statement from major gig economy platforms which highlighted concerns following a town hall meeting on the proposed law held on Feb 19 by the Human Resources Ministry.
The platforms said the two primary concerns involved the role of a Consultative Council and social protection contributions.
Concerns about social protection contributions involve the fact that gig workers may be engaged across multiple platforms, thus raising questions about making multiple contributions which would increase financial burdens.
There is also a lack of clarity in the bill on how these contributions should be divided among gig economy platforms, as smaller industry players could be disproportionately impacted. – March 4, 2025