Awareness of participation in the social security protection scheme among informal sector workers in Malaysia: A conceptual analysis

Abstract

The rapid growth of informal employment in Malaysia has raised concerns regarding the adequacy of social security protection for vulnerable workers. Despite the introduction of the Self-Employment Social Security Scheme (SKSPS) by the Social Security Organization (SOCSO), participation among informal sector workers remains relatively low. This study examines the level of awareness and the factors influencing participation intentions in the SOCSO social security protection scheme among informal workers in Malaysia. Grounded in the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB), the study investigates the roles of awareness, attitude, subjective norms, and perceived behavioural control in shaping behavioural intention to participate. An exploratory sequential mixed-method design was employed, beginning with qualitative interviews to explore workers' knowledge, perceptions, and challenges, followed by a quantitative survey to test the proposed framework. The findings highlight that limited awareness, economic constraints, and structural barriers significantly influence participation intentions. The study contributes to the literature on social protection and informal employment by providing empirical insights into psychosocial and structural determinants of participation, and it offers policy-relevant recommendations to enhance social security coverage among informal sector workers in Malaysia.