MP Backs Gig Workers Bill, Urges More Inclusive Protection

29 August 2025

SANDAKAN: Sandakan Member of Parliament Vivian Wong Shir Yee voiced her support for the Gig Workers Bill 2025 during the parliamentary debate yesterday, describing it as a crucial step towards safeguarding the rights and welfare of gig economy workers.

She stressed that while the bill marks important progress, the government must ensure that the legislation remains inclusive and adaptive to the needs of Malaysia’s rapidly growing digital economy.

Wong highlighted that the gig economy in Malaysia is already large in scale and continues to expand. By 2024, some 3.1 million Malaysians were engaged in the sector representing almost one-fifth of the country’s total workforce.

However, she noted that gig workers have long faced challenges such as low pay and the absence of a legal mechanism to resolve disputes.

“With the rapid advancement of digitalisation and artificial intelligence (AI), the number of gig workers is expected to continue rising. This bill will ensure they receive the protection they deserve in an increasingly dynamic work environment,” she said.

She recalled her experience in August 2023, when more than 30 e-hailing drivers met with her to demand a fairer payment system.

At the time, she said, the lack of a legal mechanism meant that most of their demands were difficult to resolve.

With the introduction of this bill, gig workers will now have access to a Tribunal and a Consultative Council, providing them with legitimate channels to defend their rights.

Wong also expressed concern over the definition of “gig economy workers” in Clause 2 and Schedule Section 2, which she said remained too narrow. She pointed out that professional groups such as graphic designers, web developers, content creators, freelance writers and copywriters were excluded from the scope of protection under the law.

“The future of work will be increasingly digital and remote, with side jobs becoming the norm. If the definition is too narrow, many workers who also rely on gig income risk being left out of legal protection,” she cautioned.

She urged the government to ensure that the implementation of the bill is inclusive and flexible so that it remains relevant in line with the evolving digital economy and the realities of future employment.