On June 1, 2026, Wan Norlida Mohd Norsaidi, 50, from Kampung Kedai Buluh here, went about her daily routine as usual, juggling her responsibilities as a worker and mother of seven.
Little did she know that a day later, she would face one of the most difficult moments of her life when the vehicle she was travelling in with her husband, Md Yunus Abdollah, 49, and three of their children — Ainul Maisarah, 20, Muhammad Amsyar Izzuddin, 12, and Ahmad Thaqif Iman, 10 — was involved in an accident.
The accident occurred in Sungai Bari, Setiu, Terengganu, as the family was returning home after attending a thanksgiving gathering. Wan Norlida sustained serious injuries that required three surgeries and more than four months of medical leave.
Despite the ordeal, Wan Norlida was fortunate to be covered by the Social Security Organisation (PERKESO), as the accident occurred just one day after the LINDUNG 24 Jam scheme came into effect, even before she had made her contribution for that month.
24-HOUR PROTECTION
The LINDUNG 24 Jam scheme provides workers with a broader social security safety net, covering various incidents that occur outside working hours, including during public holidays and rest days.
PERKESO Kelantan Benefits Branch chief Ira Shahrani Mohd Sukri said Wan Norlida was eligible for Temporary Disablement Benefit and continues to receive the benefit as she has yet to return to work.
"On June 1, the LINDUNG 24 Jam scheme came into effect, and on June 2, a contributor was involved in an accident. Although she had not yet paid her contribution for that month, she was still covered by PERKESO," she said.
According to Ira Shahrani, Wan Norlida's case was among the earliest involving the LINDUNG 24 Jam scheme in Kelantan.
Ironically, the woman, who had contributed to PERKESO for 24 years, was herself not fully aware of the expanded coverage until disaster struck.
THE 11 AM TRAGEDY ON JUNE 2
On the morning of June 2, Wan Norlida was travelling with her husband and three children back to Kota Bharu after attending a thanksgiving gathering at her younger sibling's house in Dungun, Terengganu, when the car driven by her daughter, Ainul Maisarah, collided with another vehicle coming from the opposite direction along Jalan Kampung Sungai Bari in Setiu.
The accident, which occurred at about 11 am, left Wan Norlida trapped in the rear passenger seat alongside her youngest child, Ahmad Thaqif Iman.
Despite her own injuries, Ainul Maisarah, who was still able to move, managed to pull out her father and another sibling, Muhammad Amsyar Izzuddin, from the car. She also managed to rescue Ahmad Thaqif.
Wan Norlida, however, could only be extricated by firefighters about an hour later.
Sharing her experience with Bernama, she said that at the time, her thoughts were not only on herself and the three children who were with her, but also on her other four children who were elsewhere.
"I thought about whether my other children were still alive. I have seven children, and three were involved in the accident, so there were four others. If Allah had decreed that my time, together with my children and husband, was up, I would have accepted it. Alhamdulillah, I have been given more time, and I still have many children to care for," she said.
THREE SURGERIES, MORE THAN FOUR MONTHS OFF WORK
As a result of the accident, Ahmad Thaqif Iman suffered a skull fracture and bleeding in the head, requiring surgery, while Ainul Maisarah sustained a fracture of the fibula. Muhammad Amsyar Izzuddin suffered a forehead injury, while Md Yunus fractured his left thigh bone.
Wan Norlida suffered fractures in both legs and her pelvic bone. She underwent three surgeries — one on June 2 at Setiu Hospital in Terengganu, followed by two on June 15 and 21 at Tanah Merah Hospital.
Her injuries forced her to take more than four months of medical leave, while doctors estimated that her recovery could take up to a year.
During a follow-up visit, Wan Norlida was still unable to get out of bed, with both legs fitted with Ilizarov external fixation devices to support her treatment.
However, the impact of the accident extended beyond physical injuries. Wan Norlida and her husband are now without a source of income as both continue to recover, while their children are still attending school and one is preparing to pursue further studies at university.
For the family, Wan Norlida's recovery has also meant a period without an income.
"WE CANNOT AFFORD PRIVATE INSURANCE"
For Wan Norlida, who works as an administrative assistant at the Kota Bharu Area Fishermen's Association office and has contributed to PERKESO for 24 years, the protection came when her family needed it most.
She said her family could not afford private insurance, making PERKESO their safety net when tragedy struck.
"Thank you to all PERKESO contributors because their contributions have helped us. We cannot afford private insurance. We can only rely on PERKESO. Alhamdulillah, it has helped us with up to RM38,000. If we were working in the village, where would we get RM38,000 in cash to pay the hospital costs?" she said.
She added that the process of claiming the benefits was straightforward and took only a short time, as PERKESO dealt directly with her employer, with all the required documents already in order.
24 YEARS OF CONTRIBUTIONS, ONLY NOW REALISING THEIR VALUE
Admitting that she had previously felt PERKESO contributions were not particularly important because she had not personally experienced their benefits, Wan Norlida said the accident had changed her perspective.
"Just like me, I used to feel that it was unfair to contribute to PERKESO. But after what happened to us, I realised how great the benefits of these contributions are. Until something happens to us personally, we do not realise how important it is to contribute to PERKESO," she said.
Her experience did not end with her own recovery. After receiving the benefits, Wan Norlida began sharing her experience with colleagues and encouraging them to ensure they were covered.
"After what happened to me, I told all the staff that they must contribute to the 24-hour scheme. We never know what might happen because even minor accidents are covered by PERKESO," she said.
RISKS DO NOT END WHEN OFFICE HOURS ARE OVER
Meanwhile, Ira Shahrani of PERKESO said Wan Norlida's experience highlighted the importance of social protection when accidents occur outside working hours.
She said the LINDUNG 24 Jam scheme extends coverage to accidents outside working hours, including those occurring during holidays and while undertaking personal activities, subject to the stipulated conditions.
"Among the cases received by PERKESO are accidents while playing sports, going out for meals, falling at home, including in the bathroom, and accidents while cooking," she said.
She added that accidents occurring during personal activities, such as attending family gatherings or shopping at markets, could also be covered, subject to the applicable conditions.
"In Wan Norlida's case, the accident occurred while she was returning home after attending a family thanksgiving gathering," she said.
"Accidents can happen when someone is on holiday, at home, playing sports or attending to personal matters, while the consequences can affect their health, income and family for an extended period," she added.
RM44,000 DISBURSED IN KELANTAN
In Kelantan, the benefits under the LINDUNG 24 Jam scheme have also been reflected in payments made to workers involved in accidents.
Ira Shahrani said PERKESO Kota Bharu had so far disbursed about RM44,000 in benefits for cases under the scheme. This figure excludes cases handled by the PERKESO Kuala Krai office, which covers Kuala Krai and Gua Musang.
She said workers could submit their applications online through the PERKESO Lindung Portal or in person at a PERKESO office.
"If documents such as the identity card, bank account statement and medical leave certificate (MC) are complete, straightforward cases can be processed on the same day," she said.
However, workers still need to inform their employers of accidents, even when they occur outside working hours, as employer verification is required during investigations for certain cases.
THE CHALLENGE OF ENSURING WORKERS UNDERSTAND THEIR COVERAGE
Wan Norlida's experience also raises a broader question about workers' awareness of social security protection.
If someone who has contributed for 24 years is not fully aware of the expanded coverage available, ensuring that other workers understand their rights and benefits remains a challenge.
At the national level, 87 per cent of PERKESO contributors remained under the LINDUNG 24 Jam scheme as at Aug 31, involving approximately 8.5 million contributors.
PERKESO Kelantan director Wan Izani Wan Isa said the development indicated that more contributors were recognising the importance of social security protection following briefings by PERKESO.
"Alhamdulillah, after conducting briefing sessions with employers, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and community leaders, more contributors have chosen to return to the LINDUNG 24 Jam scheme," he said.
According to Wan Izani, some workers still have limited understanding of the scheme's benefits and rely on information from unofficial sources, particularly social media.
"Therefore, PERKESO Kelantan is stepping up its outreach efforts by participating in community programmes, setting up information booths and conducting briefing sessions with employers, NGOs and community leaders, including through the Cakna Rakyat programme.
"For PERKESO, the challenge after expanding coverage is not merely to ensure that the scheme is available, but also to ensure that workers know they are protected and understand how to claim their entitlements when misfortune strikes," he said.
PROTECTION DOES NOT END WITH PAYMENT
PERKESO's support does not end once a claim has been approved.
Wan Izani said that through its Disability Management (PHU) approach, workers who sustain serious injuries and require lengthy recovery periods can continue receiving assistance until they are able to resume their lives and return to work according to their capabilities.
The approach includes the involvement of a Case Manager, who oversees each case more comprehensively.
In addition to physiotherapy and rehabilitation, assistance may include upskilling, reskilling, job modifications or placement in employment suited to the worker's current condition.
In Wan Norlida's case, PERKESO is also monitoring her progress and will refer her to a Disability Management officer if she requires recovery support, rehabilitation or assistance to return to work.
For Wan Norlida, recovery is now her priority.
Doctors have recommended physiotherapy once her legs are sufficiently healed, and she plans to seek treatment through PERKESO.
"I will undergo physiotherapy through PERKESO. If possible, I would like to receive treatment at HPUSM (Hospital Pakar Universiti Sains Malaysia), because travelling to Perak or Melaka would be too far," she said.
She currently attends follow-up appointments about once a month.
"I WANT TO GO BACK TO WORK"
For the mother of seven, all the assistance she has received ultimately serves one goal: returning to work.
More than four months after the accident, she has yet to resume her normal routine, but her determination to earn a living again remains strong.
"What are my plans after recovering? I want to go back to work. Both of us currently have no source of income. The children are in school, and one is preparing to enter university. They need money for their expenses," she said.
Her eldest son, 22, had been working in Pasir Gudang, Johor, for only eight months, while her other children are still studying.
For Wan Norlida, returning to work is not merely about resuming her career, but also about being able to provide for her seven children. It is here that her experience reveals the true meaning of social security protection.
The accident, which occurred just one day after the LINDUNG 24 Jam scheme came into effect, changed the way she viewed the contributions she had made for 24 years.
She did not know she was covered when the accident happened. However, after she was discharged from hospital, PERKESO representatives visited her home and informed her that she was eligible for protection.
What she had previously regarded as little more than a deduction from her income had become a safety net at a time when she was unable to work and her family had lost its source of income.
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