I Almost Opted Out Of LINDUNG 24 Jam. Then I Read The Actual Scheme. Here’s What You Need To Know. | WeirdKaya

Not legal or financial advice. Benefit rates and eligibility are decided by PERKESO on a case by case basis. For your own situation, call the PERKESO careline at 1-300-22-8000 or check your record at the LINDUNG Faedah portal.

For years I looked at the SOCSO line on my payslip, saw a number under RM30, and scrolled past it. Then a friend got knocked off his motorbike on the way to work and PERKESO covered his hospital bill, medical leave, and physiotherapy.

That was the moment I actually read what I had been paying for.

SOCSO, or known as PERKESO, runs under the Employees’ Social Security Act 1969. If you are a private sector employee on a contract of service, you are in it. There is no opting out of the core scheme. Since 1 October 2024, contributions are capped at a wage ceiling of RM6,000a month, up from RM5,000.

So what is LINDUNG 24 Jam exactly?

Its legal name is the Skim Kemalangan Bukan Bencana Kerja (SKBBK), which was created by the Employees’ Social Security (Amendment) Act 2026, or Act A1788 and got Royal Assent on February 23 before being gazetted on March 5 and taking effect on June 1.

But, there are three things people get wrong about it. It is not a private insurance product as it is run by PERKESO under the same Employees’ Social Security Act 1969as the rest of your SOCSO. Also, it is not a replacement for anything as it sits on top of your existing coverage.

And there was no sign up form for most people: if you were already covered under Act 4, your existing SOCSO registration carried you straight in. Only staff hired on or after June 1 need their employer to register them through the ASSIST portal.

Is it just normal SOCSO but 24 hours?

This is the question I keep getting, so here it is straight. The benefits are identical to the Employment Injury Scheme. The only real difference is when the accident happens and who pays for it.

On the funding question, PERKESO’s argument is that employers already pay 1.25% into the Employment Injury Scheme, which covers work accidents and your commute.

Since LINDUNG 24 Jam covers your personal time, the argument goes, it is not the employer’s risk to fund. Whether you find that convincing is a separate matter, but that is the logic.

The eight benefits, and what they pay What actually counts as a covered accident

PERKESO published its own list of examples, and they are more specific than you would expect. The accident has to happen inside Malaysia, outside working hours, and be unrelated to your employment.

What it does not cover The voluntary part that confuses many

After public pushback,the Cabinet made it voluntary for Malaysians on July 8 instead of an automatic opt-in. PERKESO released the opt out form on July 13 and it lasted until August 31.

Opting outwas also something you had to do yourself. HR could not file it for you. It meant logging into the LINDUNG Faedah portal, completing the Borang Pilihan with your name, IC number and which employer it applied to, then confirming a declaration that you understood you would not be entitled to the scheme’s benefits and would not hold your employer or PERKESO liable. You could also do it on a manual form at any PERKESO counter.

That form carried one more clause worth noticing: you had to confirm the decision was made voluntarily, without pressure or coercion from any party. That was PERKESO’s way of stopping employers from herding staff out of the scheme to simplify payroll.

Five rules that catch people out

Two groups never got a choice at all. Foreign workers remain compulsorily enrolled and cannot opt out. And employees aged 60 and above are in it too, which is a genuine quirk, because that group pays no employee share under the normal Act 4 structure.

For them, this is the first SOCSO deduction they have ever seen on a payslip.

What it costs now vs 2031

At the current rate, someone earning RM4,500 pays about RM33.35 a month. At or above the RM6,000 wage ceiling, the maximum is RM44.65 a month no matter how much you earn.

Note that the deduction follows PERKESO’s salary band schedule rather than a flat percentage of your exact gross, so your number may sit slightly off a clean calculation.

The thing worth sitting with: anyone deciding on this today is not really deciding about 0.75%. On current plans, the rate rises by two-thirds by 2031. That belongs in the conversation whichever way you lean. On your payslip, it should appear as its own line, separate from your existing SOCSO and EIS deductions.

It probably suits you if… How to claim

LINDUNG 24 Jam is SOCSO for your own time. Futsal injury, fall at home, balik kampung crash. Up to RM44.65 a month, paid entirely by you, rising to 1.25% by 2031.

Did not opt out by August 31? You are in by default and it’s recommended that you check your payslip.

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