KUALA LUMPUR — The government’s engagement with all stakeholders marks a positive step towards enacting comprehensive legislation that protects gig workers while encouraging the sector’s continued growth.
In a joint statement, a group of gig economy companies welcomed the ongoing multi-stakeholder discussions, saying such engagement is instrumental in crafting practical policies that reflect the needs of gig workers, platforms, and regulators alike.
“Together, we can enable a seamless transition as the nature of work evolves, ensuring protections for workers while fostering growth, economic empowerment, and technological progress in Malaysia’s digital economy,” the companies said.
“This timely engagement was an important step forward in building a collaborative approach in shaping Malaysia’s gig economy.
“We deeply value the government’s openness to industry perspectives as we explore the best way to balance protections for gig workers, while preserving the flexibility, innovation and growth that defines this sector,” the statement added.
The group – comprising Bolt, FastGig, foodpanda, GoGet, Grab, HaloDelivery, Kiddocare, Lalamove, and ShopeeFood – said they collectively support tens of thousands of gig workers nationwide.
They stressed that productive engagement, grounded in mutual respect and a shared commitment to progress, could help Malaysia lead by example in crafting modern policies for the digital age.
Their statement comes amid the government’s proposal to hold more informal town hall sessions to improve policymaking and ensure industry feedback is heard.
The proposal followed a recent roundtable chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi on July 1 in Bangi, attended by gig industry operators and top officials. The meeting was held in preparation for the formulation of the Gig Workers Bill.
Zahid, who chairs the high-level committee on the establishment of the Malaysian Gig Economy Commission (SEGiM), said the proposed bill – expected to be tabled and potentially passed in Parliament by August or September – would be the first of its kind to focus entirely on the gig economy, unlike laws in other countries that only append gig work provisions to existing frameworks.
Also present at the roundtable were Law and Institutional Reform Minister Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said, Deputy Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri Abdul Rahman Mohamad, Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC) executive chairman Syed Ibrahim Syed Noh, and MDEC CEO Anuar Fariz Fadzil. — July 4, 2025