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The Social Welfare Department Malaysia started with its involvement in managing problems that stemmed from World War II. From there, its roles and functions have expanded to preventive and rehabilitative services in social issues and the development of the community.

It is one of the agencies under the administration of the Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development.

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Information on the Malaysian social security system - how to contribute and what benefits to expect...

The Malaysian Social Security system is called SOCSO, or PERKESO ( Pertubuhan Keselamatan Sosial). It provides financial assistance to employees and their families in the event of an accident which results in death, disability or illness, or an occupational disease. SOCSO provides two kinds of insurance:

1. Employment injury insurance

2. Invalidity pension scheme

Only Malaysian citizens and permanent residents are eligible to contribute to SOCSO and to benefit from its services.

The following individuals are exempt from paying SOCSO:

Business owners and their spouses

Domestic servants

Foreign workers

Government employees

Self-employed people

SOCSO is funded by contributions from both the employer and the employee. The amount paid into the scheme depends on an employee's earnings. It is the employer's responsibility to ensure that their employees are registered with SOCSO; a new employee must be registered within 30 days of starting work. Coverage under the SOSCO system is optional for employees earning more than RM 3,000 per month.

For more information about SOCSO from the Malaysian government: Click here

For information about registration and contributions: Click here

Foreign workers

Although foreign workers are not covered by SOSCO, under the 1952 Workers' Compensation Act they are eligible for employment injury compensation. This is funded by the employer, who makes a fixed annual contribution to the scheme. It is illegal for an employer to deduct this payment from an employee's salary.

For more information about Workers' Compensation: Click here

Contributions to these social security schemes can only be made up to the age of 55, after which an individual must use other means of funding.

Foreign Workers Hospitalisation and Social Insurance Scheme

In 2011 the Malaysian Government introduced the compulsory Foreign Workers Hospitalisation and Social Insurance Scheme (SKHPPA). Employers must pay SKHPPA for full-time foreign employees who are aged between 18 and 59. The insured person receives a fixed amount of healthcare cover each year, which can be used in government hospitals only.

Employees Provident Fund

In Malaysia pensions are covered by the Employees Provident Fund (EPF), or Kumpulan Wang Simpanan Pekerja. As well as providing a pension, contributors can withdraw money for certain reasons; for example, to cover medical expenses or to purchase a home.

The EPF is essentially a savings fund with contributions made by employees and their employers; the amount paid in is proportional to an employee's salary. All employees, with the exception of domestic workers and the self-employed, are required by law to make payments to the EPF.

Foreign workers do not have to join the EPF scheme but can choose to do so. Payments are made by employees up to the age of 75.

For information about how to sign up for the EPF scheme and to download forms: Click here

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Social Security and Welfare Benefits in Malaysia - Malaysia - Angloinfo

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The Malaysian Social Security system is called SOCSO, or PERKESO ( Pertubuhan Keselamatan Sosial). It provides financial assistance to employees and their families in the event of an accident which results in death, disability or illness, or an occupational disease.

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The law of Malaysia is mainly based on the common law legal system.

Capital punishment in malaysia applies to muder, drug trafficking, treason and waging war againt Yang Di - Pertuan Agnog (THE KING) Recently, the law has been extended to include acts of terrorism. Any terrorists, and anyone who aids terrorists, financially or otherwise, are liable to face the death penalty. Foreigners are not exempt on the death penalty.

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MALAYSIAN LEGAL SYSTEM Prepared by: NURUL NASIHIN ARIFFIN KPMBP

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While the Malaysian Constitution theoretically guarantees freedom of religion, the government prohibits any publications that it feels will incite racial or religious disharmony, and has asked that religious matters not be discussed in public due to their sensitivity

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FEB 7 - We, the undersigned, are troubled by the inaction of the police as they have taken no apparent action against the threats to the safety of Ms Teresa Kok, the Member of Parliament for Seputeh.

While we support the freedom of expression and right of every person to peacefully assemble, a line is crossed when there is a call to violence against another person exercising her freedom of expression.

The action taken by the representatives of Council of Islamic NGOs in offering a reward of RM1200 to the person who manages to slap Ms Kok is nothing short of criminal intimidation. This is an offence S503 of the Penal Code with a maximum punishment of 2 years imprisonment and / or a fine.

If a person does slap Ms Kok thereby committing the offence of causing hurt under S321 of the Penal Code, representatives of the Council of Islamic NGOs are also abettors. Under S109 of the Penal Code, they are liable to be imprisoned for 1 year and / or fined a maximum of RM2000.

A second act of criminal intimidation was committed when the representatives of the Council of Islamic NGOs slaughtered chickens and then smeared their blood on a banner with Ms Kok's image and those of other opposition leaders to hark back to the May 13 riots.

The call to slap Ms Kok by the Council of Islamic NGOs is also an example of violence against women. Ms Kok was the only woman in their banner and only she was threatened with a slap.

Gender based violence is a form of discrimination against women as it hinders women's full participation in all aspects of their lives. In Ms Kok's case, it is another obstacle in her pursuit of a political life. Malaysia continues to fall in the Global Gender Gap Index: from 72 in 2006 to 102 in 2013. This is largely due to a low score in the political empowerment of women. The failure of the government in ensuring a safe space and an enabling environment for women in the political arena will ensure that we keep sliding in the Global Gender Gap Index.

On 20 March 2014, Malaysia's universal periodic review (UPR) report will be adopted by the UN Human Rights Council. The government's failure to promote, protect and fulfil women's right to non-discrimination and the enjoyment of equality will surely be mentioned by NGOs when we address the UN Human Rights Council.

Endorsed by:

1. Persatuan Kesedaran Komuniti Selangor (EMPOWER)

2. Suara Rakyat Malaysia (SUARAM)

3. Pusat KOMAS

4. Malaysian Physicians for Social Responsibility

5. Persatuan Masyarakat Selangor dan Wilayah Persekutuan (PERMAS)

6. Community Action Network (CAN)

7. Coalition of Malaysian Indians NGOs

8. Group of Concerned Citizens

9. Academy of Tamil Studies

10. Saya Anak Bangsa Malaysia (SABM)

11. Women's Aid Organisation (WAO)

12. Himpunan Hijau

13. Association of Women Lawyers (AWL)

14. Social-Economic Committee of KL & Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall (SEC-KLSCAH)

15. Persatuan Sahabat Wanita, Selangor (PSWS)

16. Sisters in Islam (SIS)

17. Knowledge and Rights with Young people through Safer Spaces (KRYSS)

18. Civil Rights Committee - KLSCAH

19. Persatuan Alumni PBTUSM KL & Selangor

20. All Women's Action Society (AWAM)

21. Malaysians for Beng Hock

22. Amnesty International Malaysia

23. Damn The Dams

24. Peoples' Green Coalition

25. Sembang-sembang Forum

* This is the personal opinion of the writer or organisation and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malay Mail Online.

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Free speech, not hate speech - Malaysian NGOs

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FEB 7 - We, the undersigned, are troubled by the inaction of the police as they have taken no apparent action against the threats to the safety of Ms Teresa Kok, the Member of Parliament for Seputeh. While we support the freedom of

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Migration Policies within these countries are welcoming to foreigners but are strictly against illegal immigration.

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1. Open the Internet Browser

2. Click Tools (or "gear" icon at top right hand corner) > Internet Options > Privacy > Advanced

3. Check Override automatic cookie handling

4. For First-party Cookies and Third-party Cookies click Accept

5. Click OK and OK

Enabling Cookies in Internet Explorer 10, 11

1. Open the Internet Browser

2. Click the Tools button, and then click Internet Options.

3. Click the Privacy tab, and then, under Settings, move the slider to the bottom to allow all cookies, and then click OK.

Enabling Cookies in Google Chrome

1. Open the Google Chrome browser

2. Click Tools icon Or type in Go to chrome://settings/ to the URL window, hit enter

3. Click 'Advanced settings' > Select Privacy > Content settings

4. Check 'Allow local data to be set (recommended)'

5. Click 'Done'

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Open the Internet Browser Click Tools (or "gear" icon at top right hand corner) > Internet Options > Privacy > Advanced Check Override automatic cookie handling For First-party Cookies and Third-party Cookies click Accept Click OK and OK Enabling Cookies in Internet Explorer 10, 11 Open the Internet Browser Click the Tools button, and then click Internet Options.

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Extent of Religious Pluralism in Society

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Extent of Religious Pluralism in Society

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The state of religious pluralism in Malaysia is one that is intrinsically connected to the question of ethnicity. The question of respect for each other’s religion subsequently engenders a respect for one’s ethnicity as well. See statistics below, particularly those related to ethnicity.

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Authority of Religion in Government Structures

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Authority of Religion in Government Structures

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Islam is recognized as the state religion of Malaysia, although the country has a secular constitution. The politics often become entwined with religion and any teachings which deviate from the official Sunni code is illegal and no other forms of Islam are allowed. The conflict between the federal and state governments over religious authority led to a slow pace of reform and development of laws relating to Islam.

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Malaysia is a Constitutional Monarchy and the King is considered to be the Islamic leader of the state.

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Authority of Religion in Government Structures

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Authority of Religion in Government Structures

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The Malaysian Constitution provides for freedom of religion whereby ' all persons have the right to worship according to their own religion or belief'. The government does not however allow people to not believe in God. Malaysian Law also places restrictions on unrecognised religious groups.

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No one was hurt in the latest upsurge of violence which saw two churches firebombed and a third dubbed with black paint in a row sparked by a court decision allowing non-Muslims to use the word "Allah" in place of God in their literature and worship.

Four other churches in Kuala Lumpur were firebombed on Friday and Saturday amid outrage in the Muslim-majority country over the court's move to overturn a government prohibition on the use of Allah by Christians when using the Malay language.

Hundreds of worshippers from one of the churches that was partially destroyed last week gathered for a service at a makeshift prayer hall and urged an end to the violence.

Earlier a petrol bomb was hurled at the All Saints Church in Taping, in central Perak state, before worshippers arrived. The building was not badly damaged, but scorch marks were found in the hall.

At St Louis Catholic Church, also in Taping, a broken bottle of petrol with a wick was discovered. It failed to explode. In the southern Malacca state the outer wall of a Baptist church was splashed with paint.

The dispute follows a December 31 ruling by the High Court allowing a petition by the Roman Catholic church after a protracted struggle over the use of the word Allah.

The Church's main publication, the Herald newspaper, often uses the word Allah instead of God in its Malay language edition. It maintains Allah has been used traditionally for centuries.

The government in Malaysia, where 9 per cent of the 28 million population is Christian, has lodged an appeal against the ruling.

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Religious violence in Malaysia escalates as more churches attacked

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No one was hurt in the latest upsurge of violence which saw two churches firebombed and a third dubbed with black paint in a row sparked by a court decision allowing non-Muslims to use the word "Allah" in place of God in their literature and worship.

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In Malaysia there are two types of divorce and marriage for non-Muslims: 1) divorce by mutual consent, i.e. both parties agree to the divorce

2) divorce without mutual consent