KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 15 — Nearly 500 freelancers in the news media industry are set to receive their Social Security Organisation (Socso) contributions from the government for a one year period.

This follows the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Socso and the National News Agency (Bernama) today.

The Self-Employment Social Security Scheme (SKSPS) will benefit 493 part-time journalists, videographers and photographers from 45 media agencies in the country, with a contribution of RM232.80 per person.

Ninety per cent of this amount will be covered by the government and 10 per cent by Bernama, Communications and Digital Minister Fahmi Fadzil said during a press conference here.

The SKSPS (Self-Employment Social Security Scheme) was created to protect self-employed individuals under the Self-Employment Social Security Act 2017.

It provides insurance coverage for work-related risks, including occupational diseases and accidents that occur during work activities.

"I hope that this programme can be continued, either via Bernama for next year, or, if the journalists working as stringers would like to contribute on their own, that can also be done,” Fahmi added.

He also encouraged the media agencies involved to sustain the initiative by extending support to their freelancers.

In a separate development, Fahmi lauded the appointment of Datuk Seri Paduka Maimunah Mohd Sharif as Kuala Lumpur’s first female mayor.

"I view her as someone who holds immense potentials, seeing how she has served in the Seberang Perai City Council in Penang and was the executive director at United Nations (UN) Habitat (UN-Habitat) and has a lot of experience. Surely becoming the first female mayor in KL’s history, is truly a historic moment,” he said.