MH370: SOCSO yet to receive claims from family and employers

None of the family and employers of Malaysians on board the ill-fated MH370 have claimed for benefits under SOCSO (Social Security Organisation), although they can already begin to do so.

A SOCSO official told Astro AWANI that SOCSO has already contacted Malaysia Airlines (MAS) and technology company, Freescale Semiconductor but both have decided to wait before going ahead with the compensation process.

"All Malaysians covered by SOCSO who were officially on duty on board the plane are eligible to be covered under the ‘Employment Injury Scheme," said the official.

Under the Employee’s Social Security Act 1969, “employment injury” means a personal injury to an employee caused by accident or an occupational disease arising out of and in the course of his or her employment.

This also includes accidents while travelling.

Of the 50 Malaysians on board the Malaysia Airlines aircraft, 12 of them were flight crew members while another 12 were Freescale employees. SOCSO also said that Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI) officer Mohd Sofuan Ibrahim also qualifies for the scheme.

“Those who were on the plane and were working are entitled for this employment injury scheme, but if they were on holiday, then it does not fall under that scheme,” he said.

The rate of payment under ‘employment injury’ would be calculated from 90% of his or her single-day salary. Of that, 3/5 of will be paid to his or her spouse and 2/5 to their children below the age of 21.

If the employee is unmarried then his or her dependents i.e. parents, grandparents or brothers and sisters are eligible.

The employer is supposed to submit the claim forms and other relevant documents within 48 hours upon notification of the accident.

Meanwhile, regardless of whether the passengers were on duty, those covered under SOCSO can have their families claim for death and receive ‘Survivors’ Pension’.

The pension rate is between 50-65% of the insured person’s average monthly wage. The minimum sum is RM475 while the maximum is RM1,917.50.

The maximum age limit for Survivor’s Pension entitlement is before 60 years old.

For this, the family themselves would have to submit the claim forms.

“A funeral benefit amounting to RM1,500 is also made payable to the family,” added the official.

The only problem for the claim under this scheme at the moment is that death certificates have not been issued following the presumed crash of flight MH370.

Any enquiries can be directed to SOSCO’s customer service at 03-4257 5755 while more information can be obtained from its website www.perkeso.gov.my.