Contracts with benefits, or not?

KUALA LUMPUR — I was recently asked by some media about my views on labor rights protection for "freelance" or "contract" workers, such as ride-hailing drivers or food deliverers. As I pondered more about this issue, the more it occurred to me that there was actually a wide range of associated issues. The issue may be said to have profound implications for global, regional and domestic socioeconomic landscapes for many countries. To a certain extent, as the long-established modes of socioeconomic operations and interactions subtly start to loosen, many longstanding socioeconomic issues are resurfacing, and many new ones are unexpectedly emerging, making it difficult to address them all adequately.

The relationship between employer and employee, or, more colloquially, between boss and worker, has existed worldwide since ancient times. From our distant forebears "hiring" others to hunt animals and gather fruits to medieval shopowners employing assistants to watch their stores, a variety of labor relations have continuously emerged. As the saying goes, those with money could fork out money, while those with muscles could contribute strength, each fulfilling their role, often in exchange. This sort of labor-capital relationship has, of course, advanced much further from the inhumane socioeconomic systems like the slavery of some ancient societies.