Varia Ranah - Sorotan Ilmiah Perkhidmatan Awam

506 Varia Ranah: Sorotan Ilmiah Perkhidmatan Awam Towards this end, during a Parliamentary question and answer session last October 2019, the former Prime Minister, Tun Doctor Mahathir Mohammad informed that the gig economy has been identified as a new source of economic growth and will be incorporated in the upcoming 12th Malaysia Plan (2021-2025). He further reiterates that the government is currently in the initial stages of regulating the sector for the welfare of gig economy workers. “ As a new trend, whereby jobs are now more flexible, the government is faced with a challenge with regards to protecting the welfare of the workers involved in this gig economy. This is following the ‘master and servant’ relationship and employment relationships which are convoluted,” the former Prime Minister explained during Question Time. Tun Doctor Mahathir further explained that the government has realised the implications of gig economic work as well as the need to safeguard worker rights via the establishment of a special task force comprising the participation from three (3) ministries, namely Ministry of Human Resources, Ministry of Youth & Sports and the Ministry of Domestic Trade & Consumer Affairs. He further reiterates that “… therefore, the government has taken a few initiatives with the objective of leveraging on the gig economy and at the same time, ensuring the interests of the workers and employers remain safeguarded to focus on the gig economy as the new economy source of growth, sustainable and inclusive in the drafting of the 12th Malaysia Plan 2021-2025’’ (Malay Mail, 2020; Murniati, Palansamy, Muhd Amin, 2019). However, since there has been a change in the political landscape since February 2020, it is yet to be seen whether the new administration is willing to follow-through with similar gumption and tenacity in overseeing the growth and legal protection of the gig economy as mooted by the previous ruling government. Key-Takeaways in A Gig Economy Hence, as mentioned above, the prevalence of the gig economy crisscrosses all segments of society. Right from the position of senior executives in a company who travel to major cities to ply their trade right to the ordinary