KUALA LUMPUR: My Mobility Vision (MMV) has called on the government to expedite the establishment of the Malaysian Gig Economy Commission (Segim) to provide clearer policies and address challenges facing the country’s gig economy.
MMV said recent decisions by the Gig Workers Tribunal highlighted the need for a body capable of addressing industry-wide issues beyond resolving individual disputes.
“Segim should not become another government body that only steps in when something goes wrong. Its role must go further,” it said in a statement today.
The recent Tribunal decisions involved issues such as automatic booking acceptance, cancellation rules, earnings transparency and the handling of drivers’ accounts.
MMV said authorities needed to clarify which Tribunal decisions were legally binding on the parties involved in disputes and how broader recommendations should guide other platforms.
“This is not about questioning the Tribunal’s authority. It is about making sure the industry clearly understands what the law requires and how it should be applied fairly and consistently,” it said.
It also stressed that different platforms should be allowed to maintain their own operating systems, provided they complied with legal requirements.
“What we need are clear rules that protect workers, while allowing businesses the flexibility to decide how best to meet those rules,” it said.
MMV said gig workers and platform operators should not be viewed as opposing parties, as both depended on each other to sustain the industry.
“Gig workers and platforms are not enemies. They need each other.
“Protecting workers should never be seen as an effort to weaken platforms.
“At the same time, allowing platforms to grow should never mean giving them a free pass to ignore workers’ rights,” it said.
MMV also called on the Human Resources Ministry to convene a national roundtable involving gig worker representatives, platform operators and relevant government agencies to discuss booking practices, earnings transparency, account management and appeal mechanisms.
It said SEGiM’s mandate should cover the entire gig economy, including creative industries, freelance professional services and care services, rather than focusing solely on e-hailing and food delivery.
However, it stressed that the commission’s responsibilities must be clearly defined to complement the Gig Workers Tribunal and Gig Workers Consultative Council without creating overlapping powers or additional bureaucracy.
“We should not have to wait for another driver or platform to bring a dispute to the Tribunal before the industry starts addressing an issue that could affect thousands of others,” it said.