IPOH - The Social Security Organisation (PERKESO) and 7-Eleven Malaysia Holdings Bhd have entered into a strategic collaboration that will open a new chapter for insured persons (IPs) undergoing rehabilitation to return to work.
PERKESO board chairman Datuk Seri Subahan Kamal said that under this initiative, a total of 120 IPs are expected to participate in the work trial programme over a period of one year, to be implemented in phases.
"Five IPs for each session will undergo a two-week work trial in a real work environment. This is meant to rebuild confidence, hone skills, and prove that there are no limits to impede them from becoming competitive in the job market,” he said.
He said this at the signing ceremony of the memorandum of understanding between PERKESO and 7-Eleven Malaysia, held alongside the signing ceremony of the Renewable Energy (RE) Supply Agreement between PERKESO, Tenaga Nasional Bhd (TNB) and GSPARX Sdn Bhd here today.
Also present at the event were 7-Eleven Malaysia chairman Tan Sri Mohd Annuar Zaini, PERKESO group chief executive officer (CEO) Datuk Seri Mohammed Azman Aziz Mohammed and 7-Eleven Malaysia co-CEO Wong Wai Keong.
Meanwhile, Mohd Annuar said 7-Eleven is one of the most suitable employers for PERKESO’s return to work (RTW) initiative, as it operates a chain of over 2,700 retail stores in residential areas and communities nationwide.
"We are near the participants where they live and grow up. The shift-based work system in our stores provides flexibility for those going through the rehabilitation process, and store-level roles involve customer service, product management and daily operations,” he said.
He said that under the deal, 7-Eleven Malaysia is committed to providing pre-employment training opportunities, exposure to the real work environment, and meaningful job placements for IPs under the RTW initiative.
He said this is the first time 7-Eleven Malaysia has formally signed an employment agreement with PERKESO and is looking forward to receiving the first cohort of RTW participants before the end of this year.
Meanwhile, under PERKESO’s RE supply agreement with TNB and GSPARX, the project, which involves installing a photovoltaic solar system at PERKESO’s National Neuro-Robotics and Cybernetics Rehabilitation Centre, is expected to generate more than 1,155 megawatt-peak of green energy over 20 years.
The project is expected to meet around 30 per cent of the facility’s overall energy needs and reduce carbon emissions by nearly 945 tonnes per year. - BERNAMA