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GROUPING LIST
GROUPING LIST
Task 1
Task 1
Stagnant wages, rising costs push low-income families into poor diets, says study
By Luqman Hakim - March 14, 2025 @ 4:34pm
Link: https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2025/03/1188342/stagnant-wages-rising-food-costs-push-low-income-families-poor-diets
Rising food costs and stagnant wages are forcing Malaysia’s low-income urban households into unhealthy eating habits, leading to a growing public health crisis of malnutrition and obesity.
KUALA LUMPUR: Rising food costs and stagnant wages are forcing Malaysia's low-income urban households into unhealthy eating habits, leading to a growing public health crisis of malnutrition and obesity.
A recent study by the Social Wellbeing Research Centre (SWRC) at Universiti Malaya found that many struggling families rely on instant noodles, fried foods, and sugary drinks instead of nutritious meals.
The study, titled Food Affordability in Malaysia: When Markets and Money Decide What to Eat by Amjad Rabi and Norma Mansor stated that food affordability was a challenge for urban communities, where wages remain low despite government subsidies keeping food prices below global averages.
Unlike rural households that may have access to homegrown food, city dwellers must purchase everything they eat, making them especially vulnerable to inflation and economic downturns.
Develop a comprehensive and sustainable social security strategy that mitigates the negative impacts of rising food costs and stagnant wages on the nutritional well-being of low-income families, while also promoting long-term economic security and resilience.
Assignment Tasks (but not limited to):
Vulnerability Profile & Gap Analysis: Provide a detailed profile of a chosen vulnerable group in Malaysia, identifying their specific social protection needs and analyzing the gaps in current social protection coverage.
Policy & Program Enhancement Recommendations: Obtain a set of evidence-based recommendations for improving existing social protection policies and programs to better address the identified needs of the chosen vulnerable group.
Implementation Roadmap: Suggest a practical roadmap outlining the steps required to implement the proposed enhancements, including stakeholder engagement, resource mobilization, and monitoring & evaluation.
Presentation: Present your work in a concise and persuasive presentation summarizing your analysis, recommendations, and implementation roadmap.
Task 2
Task 2
SWRC Social Protection Bulletin Vol. 5, No. 1 (January 2025)
Older Malaysians are keen to continue working, but ageism, health barriers, and outdated employment systems are pushing them out of the workforce.
Malaysia’s ageing population is growing rapidly, but older adults face multiple systemic barriers when it comes to staying in the workforce beyond retirement age.
A bulletin by the Social Wellbeing Research Centre (SWRC) at Universiti Malaya revealed that while many older Malaysians express a strong willingness to remain employed, structural challenges from workplace discrimination to rigid retirement norms and limit their participation.
Leveraging insights from SWRC Social Protection Bulletin Vol. 5, No. 1 (January 2025), specifically the articles "Extending Labour Force Participation in an Ageing Society" and "Do Older Malaysians Want to Continue Working?", this assignment requires participants to design policies that align with older Malaysians’ aspirations to work while addressing systemic barriers to their labor force participation.
Assignment Tasks (but not limited to):
Diagnostic Report: Analyze Malaysia’s ageing workforce trends including the current rates, key barriers and other pertinent issues
Policy Proposal Document: Design a multi-pronged policy framework that address the gaps
Implementation Strategy: Create a roadmap for operationalizing policies
Presentation: Present your work in a concise and persuasive presentation summarizing your analysis, recommendations, and implementation roadmap
Task 3
Task 3
Malaysia's Current Social Protection Landscape
Malaysia’s social protection system has been evolving to address the needs of its diverse population, focusing on expanding coverage for informal workers, housewives, and the self-employed while enhancing retirement savings and social insurance mechanisms. Key programs include i-Saraan, i-Suri, the Self-Employment Social Security Scheme (SKSPS), and the integration of cash transfer initiatives like STR/SARA.
i-Saraan: Voluntary Retirement Savings for Informal Workers
The i-Saraan program, managed by the Employees Provident Fund (EPF), targets informal workers and those without fixed incomes, enabling them to make voluntary contributions toward their retirement savings. The government provides a matching incentive of 20% (as of 2025), capped at RM500 annually and RM5,000 over a lifetime. This initiative aims to encourage financial security among non-standard workers, with over 330,000 participants benefiting from the program in 2025
i-Suri: Empowering Housewives
The i-Suri program is designed specifically for housewives registered under the e-Kasih database. It allows them to contribute voluntarily to EPF accounts while receiving government-matching contributions of up to RM300 annually (capped at RM3,000 for life). This scheme recognizes the economic contributions of housewives and seeks to enhance their financial independence and retirement security
Self-Employment Social Security Scheme (SKSPS)
The SKSPS provides social insurance coverage for self-employed individuals, including gig workers and small business owners. The government currently subsidizes up to 90% of contributions under this scheme, with an allocation of RM100 million in 2025. Plans are underway to make SKSPS contributions mandatory for renewing vocational licenses, ensuring broader protection against workplace injuries and other risks
STR/SARA: Cash Transfer Programs
The Sumbangan Tunai Rahmah (STR) and Sumbangan Asas Rahmah (SARA) programs are cash transfer initiatives aimed at supporting low-income households. These programs provide financial assistance to vulnerable populations, including families with children and elderly dependents. The government is working toward integrating these schemes with broader social protection measures to create a more unified system that addresses lifecycle risks comprehensively
Develop a comprehensive social protection framework for Malaysia that addresses lifecycle risks and integrates existing programs.
Tasks:
Analyze the present program: Malaysia’s current social protection landscape, including programs like i-Saraan, i-Suri, STR/SARA, and the Self-Employment Social Security Scheme (SKSPS).
Identify gaps in coverage for informal workers, caregivers, and the elderly.
Propose an integrated framework or policy that consolidates fragmented programs into a cohesive system, ensuring inclusivity and sustainability. Justify your framework using a life-cycle approach to social protection.
Implementation Strategy: Create a roadmap for operationalizing policies
Presentation: Present your work in a concise and persuasive presentation summarizing your analysis, recommendations, and implementation roadmap
References:
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