04/06/2026

THURSDAY | JUNE 4, 2026

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Turn curveballs into comebacks T HERE are moments in professional life when a person is tested not during comfort but uncertainty. The test may

National sustainability reporting Framework was introduced to improve transparency, accountability and the way businesses manage sustainability risks and opportunities. Globally, the GRI (global reporting initiative) standards also guide organisations to report their impacts on the economy, environment and people. This means people are mindset asks, “How much does this person cost?” The sustainable mindset asks, “What capability, continuity, trust and risk protection does this person provide?” That shift matters because organisations do not become sustainable through reports alone. They become sustainable through decisions. A polished ESG statement means little if the culture quietly devalues the people who hold critical knowledge together. For the individual facing such uncertainty, the psychological challenge is real. Under pressure, the brain moves into threat mode. It wants to defend, overexplain, withdraw or react emotionally. But resilience requires a higher response. It requires emotional regulation and the ability to separate personal worth from temporary uncertainty. A useful psychological concept here is cognitive reappraisal. It is the ability to reinterpret a stressful situation in a way that changes its emotional impact. A difficult meeting can be seen as an attack or it can be seen as a platform. A delayed decision can be seen as rejection or it can become an opportunity to present evidence, clarify value and shape the conversation. This does not mean pretending everything is fine; it means responding from strength rather than fear. If others become defensive, do not absorb their defensiveness. If the conversation becomes vague, return M I N D T B Y D R P R A V not outside sustainability reporting; they are central to it. This creates a new paradigm. The old protection is no longer confined to workplace injuries, employment related accidents and invalidity benefits. Instead, employees are given a broader safety net on a 24 hour basis during their period of employment. From an employer’s perspective, the key point is that while the new contribution is fully borne by the employee, the responsibility to implement it sits with the employer. Employers will be required to deduct the relevant contribution from employees’ wages and remit it to Perkeso together with the usual monthly Socso contributions. The scheme applies to all employees covered under the Employees’ Social Security Act 1969 or Lindung Pekerja , including employees working under a contract of service or apprenticeship.

not arrive as a formal review or a clear decision. Sometimes, it appears through delays, shifting expectations, uncomfortable negotiations and the quiet pressure of having to prove one’s worth again. The mind naturally becomes anxious. It asks: Why is my value being questioned now? Why was my expertise useful during a crisis but negotiable when recognition was discussed? Why am I expected to solve complex issues, yet made to feel uncertain about my own place? These questions are valid but staying trapped inside them rarely changes the outcome. The stronger response is to turn uncertainty into strategy. This situation is not unfamiliar in Malaysia. The unemployment rate stood at 3.2% in September 2024, suggesting a relatively stable labour market. Yet, stability on paper does not always translate into security at work. At the same time, Hays Malaysia reported in 2025 that 64% of organisations experienced moderate to extreme skill shortages. This creates a strange contradiction. Employers speak about talent, resilience, ESG and sustainability, yet specialised knowledge is sometimes treated as valuable only during a crisis. When there is a problem, expertise becomes essential. When the conversation turns to salary, contract or continuity, the same expertise may suddenly be described as a cost. This is not merely a human resource issue; it is a sustainability issue. For years, sustainability was mostly discussed through carbon, waste, water, energy and climate risk. These remain important but a truly sustainable organisation must also understand human capital. Institutional memory, technical judgement, problem-solving ability and specialist knowledge are part of organisational resilience. They cannot be replaced overnight and they should not be recognised only when trouble appears. FOR many employers, Socso contributions are already a familiar part of monthly payroll administration. However, effective June 1, employers will need to take note of an important new development: the expansion of Socso protection under the Skim Lindung 24 jam , also known as the Skim Kemalangan Bukan Bencana Kerja (SKBBK). This new scheme extends Socso protection to cover employees for non-work-related accidents. This means that employees may be covered not only for accidents arising in the course of employment but also for accidents occurring outside working hours, including road accidents and other accidents which are not directly connected to work. This marks a significant shift in Malaysia’s social security framework. With Lindung 24 jam ,

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Skilled people do not remain only because of salary. They remain where their contribution is recognised, their voice is respected and their value is assessed fairly. – SYED AZAHAR SYED OSMAN/THESUN

contribution under the expanded Socso protection framework and that the purpose of the scheme is to provide additional protection for employees in the event of non-work related accidents. Overall, the introduction of Lindung 24 Jam represents a meaningful expansion of employee social security protection in Malaysia. For employees, it provides a wider safety net beyond the workplace. For employers, it is another reminder that statutory compliance is not just about making payments but about ensuring that payroll, documentation and employee communication are aligned with the latest legal requirements. The new scheme is not just a Perkeso update; it is a payroll, compliance and communication exercise that employers should get right from the start. Leonard Yeoh is a senior partner and Sharon Teo an associate of the law firm Tay and Partners. Comments: letters@thesundaily.com understand the psychology of talent retention. Skilled people do not remain only because of salary. They remain where their contribution is recognised, their voice is respected and their value is assessed fairly. When people are made to feel replaceable while being relied upon as specialists, trust weakens. And when trust weakens, no sustainability framework can fully repair the cultural damage. A curveball can destabilise a person. It can also reveal discipline. The goal is not to fight every battle emotionally. It is to enter the right rooms prepared because when life throws a curveball, the answer is not to stand helplessly; the answer is to build a better bat. Dr Praveena Rajendra is the author of Mindprint: Engineering Inner Power for Growth, Purpose and Regeneration. Comments: letters@thesundaily.com

avoid confusion when employees notice the additional deduction in their payslips. Although the contribution is employee-borne, employers should not underestimate the compliance obligations involved. Failure to make the correct deduction or remit the contribution may expose employers to arrears, late payment interest and possible enforcement action. Perkeso may also claim outstanding contributions even after an employee has left employment if the required deductions were not made during the relevant period of employment. In practice, employers should start preparing early. HR and payroll teams should review their payroll systems, update the relevant contribution tables, ensure that payslip templates reflect the new deduction and brief the relevant personnel handling monthly contribution submissions. Employers should make it clear that the deduction is a statutory to facts. If value is questioned, present evidence. If expertise has protected credibility, solved problems, managed risks or reassured stakeholders, then that contribution must be calmly and professionally articulated. The strongest rebuttal is not anger; it is preparation. Preparation means walking into the room with a clear understanding of the issue, a structured view of the risks, practical recommendations and a calm explanation of how specialised expertise supports continuity. The discussion then moves beyond salary, contract or designation. It becomes about capability, institutional memory, client confidence, risk management and the cost of losing knowledge. This is an important lesson for Malaysian workplaces. If organisations want to speak the language of ESG and sustainability, they must also

“A polished ESG statement means little if the culture quietly devalues the people who hold critical knowledge together. For the individual facing such uncertainty, the psychological challenge is real.

What employers need to know about Socso Lindung 24 jam

The applicable wage ceiling is RM6,000 per month. Notably, there is no age limit for protection under the scheme. As long as the employee remains in employment, the protection continues, including for employees who are still working after the age of 60. For existing employees, employers are not required to carry out a fresh registration exercise as Perkeso will rely on its existing employee records. However, for new employees joining after implementation, employers must ensure that they are registered through Assist 2.0 in the usual manner. The monthly payment deadline remains the same as existing Socso contributions, namely on or before the 15th day of the following month. Employers must also ensure that the contribution details are properly reflected in the employee’s salary slip. This is important not only from a compliance perspective but also to

COMMENT by Leonard Yeoh and Sharon Teo