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Recognising the pivotal role of the gig economy and self-employed individuals, Belanjawan 2026 introduces several key initiatives to strengthen their financial security and social protection
The government acknowledges that the traditional 9-to-5 job is no longer the only path to success.
This year's budget, therefore, focuses on tailored support for gig workers and the self-employed, giving them access to safety nets and financial tools once reserved for conventional employees.
A major highlight is the introduction of the i-Saraan Plus scheme, a targeted initiative to help gig workers build their retirement savings.
The budget aims to bolster retirement funds with i-Saraan Plus
Higher government contribution: E-hailing, p-hailing, and other gig workers will now receive a government matching contribution of up to RM600 a year, capped at RM6,000 over a lifetime, for their EPF savings.
For food delivery riders like 23-year-old Hafizikri, this move gives them more of an incentive to contribute towards their EPF savings.
"The government's move to match EPF contributions is a good initiative. It encourages more people, especially self-employed individuals and gig workers to save for retirement," he said.
Continued support for others: The existing i-Saraan scheme remains available for other informal and self-employed workers, offering up to RM500 a year, or RM5,000 over a lifetime, in matching contributions.
"i-Saraan allows me to make contributions any time," shared 23-year-old Shukri.
It also creates a social security safety net with PERKESO
The government is also strengthening protection for gig workers against workplace-related risks.
Mandatory protection: Under the newly enacted Gig Workers Act 2025, PERKESO contributions are now mandatory for all gig workers.
Financial assistance for contributions: To ease the financial impact, the government will cover 70% of the contribution under the Self-Employment Social Security Scheme (PERKESO) for first-time registrants in their first year, and 50% in the second year.
AI-generated image for illustration purposes only.
Image via Gemini (SAYS)Meanwhile, the budget also tackles one of the biggest hurdles for those without fixed incomes: getting approvals for a home loan
Doubled housing guarantee: The Syarikat Jaminan Kredit Perumahan (SJKP) guarantee fund will be doubled to RM20 billion, up from RM10 billion previously.
The SJKP housing guarantee scheme is a critical tool that specifically helps those without fixed pay slips to secure home loans.
Targeted assistance: This expansion is aimed at helping more gig workers and self-employed individuals secure financing for their first home, benefiting an estimated 80,000 new homebuyers.
"Yes, I've heard about SJKP. The scheme is beneficial as it helps gig workers buy homes even without a fixed salary," said Hafizikri.
