Assessing Malaysia’s Social Security Measures: Government Responses to Income Security and Unemployment During the COVID-19 in Alignment with ILO Standards

The coronavirus or COVID-19 which was said to begin from Wuhan City in southern China had, within a short period, spread at a quantifiable speed across the globe. To limit the spreading of the highly contagious disease, restrictions were imposed to curb the movement of people within a country. Due to the restriction, many employees suffer from the cut-off of salary and some even faced termination. Malaysia, like many other countries, has been dealing with the consequences of the pandemic, including an increase in unemployment and the subsequent financial challenges suffered by impacted individuals and households. The purpose of this research is to critically examine the Malaysian government's social security protections specifically on two instrumental contingencies namely income security and unemployment, analysing their efficacy and compliance with ILO requirements. The extent to which Malaysia’s social security measures comply with ILO policies and recommendations are assessed. The outcomes of this study are likely to provide important insights into the effectiveness of the Malaysian government’s responses to the issues faced by employees during the COVID-19 pandemic. From the research, Malaysia has accorded social security protection systems but these protections can be improved by aligning national policies and practises with ILO standards. Finally, it attempts to shed light on the present social security framework’s strengths and areas for improvement if faced with similar situations in the future.