MELAKA, May 25 — The government will be tabling the Gig Workers Commission bill in Parliament this July, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

He said the government is tabling the bill after receiving the proposal from youth earlier.

“Recently, there was a proposal by youth. They want the Gig Workers Commission as tens of thousands, in fact exceeding 100,000 of the young people are working in the gig sector.

“The government has formulated and we have the legislation and hopefully it would be tabled in parliament in July to fulfil the demand of youth,” he said.

Advertisement

He was speaking at the opening of the national level National Youth Day (HBN) 2024 at Dataran Pahlawan, Banda Hilir here today.

Also present were Melaka Chief Minister Datuk Seri Ab Rauf Yusoh, Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh and her deputy Adam Adli Abdul Halim, Deputy Communications Minister Teo Nie Ching, Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Mohd Zuki Ali and Malaysian Youth Council (MBM) president Mohd Izzat Afifi Abdul Hamid.

Anwar, when speaking at the closing of the Bumiputera Economic Congress (KEB) in Putrajaya in March announced the establishment of the Gig Workers Commission to protect the rights of 1.12 million gig workers with a focus on meeting social needs, resolving contract disputes and promoting the career advancement of the group concerned.

Advertisement

In the meantime, Anwar said Malaysia can become a great country in the region if the people are united and eliminate arrogance and narrow racism in the community.

He said therefore the youth need to equip themselves with knowledge and have enough information as the group is not renown for its voice, but the desire for ambition and idealism.

“So we must reject the narrow racial and stagnant religious understanding that weakens us, but elevate religion in terms of good moral and beliefs.

“This is the responsibility of young people because any decision we make, we evaluate based on knowledge,” he said.

In the same development, Anwar also announced an additional allocation of RM3 million to the Malaysian Youth Council to implement programmes and manage youth clubs across the country.

“And for the Rakan Muda (programme) which is a priority, added by the Ministry of Youth (and Sports) and the youth programmes must be given priority and support, so I agree to hand this (matter) over to Hannah so that we round it to RM10 million this year,” he said. — Bernama