Malaysia’s Social Protection: Advocating for an Integrated and Comprehensive Approach

Social protection is not a novel concept. It has been recognized as part of human rights and need to be addressed by every nations. Malaysia’s social protection system has long been a key component of human development and social well-being. Despite various efforts, the system faces challenges in addressing emerging demographic, socio-economic, and global health shifts. Issues such as lack of coverage, targeting errors, and the inadequacy of benefits available protections persist, due to the lack of a comprehensive policy framework and a central governing body to oversee the system’s development and implementation. These gaps hinder the efficiency and effectiveness of social protection. This study aims to examine the potential for an integrated framework between agencies by developing a comprehensive model for an integrated social protection system in Malaysia. Using a qualitative approach, data was gathered through focus group discussions with Malaysian social protection key palyers and document review on selected national document and subjected to thematic analysis. The findings highlight the necessity of a more efficient and effective system which intended to guide policymakers toward enacting a social protection policy and act, alongside the establishment of a leading agency governing the integrated system to ensure greater sustainability and better outcomes for social protection in Malaysia.