KUALA LUMPUR – Former Human Resources Ministry secretary-general Datuk Dr Mohd Gazali Abas has been appointed chairman of the Gig Advisory Council (MPGig), with Shanmugam Thiagarajan and Ibrahim Baharom @ Abdul Rahim named as deputy chairman and secretary respectively, according to a federal gazette.
The council, established under the Gig Workers Act 2025, comprises representatives from government, platform companies, worker groups and academia, reflecting a tripartite structure aimed at shaping policies for the gig economy.
Among government representatives are senior officials from the Human Resources Ministry, including the deputy secretary-general (policy and international), as well as representatives from Sabah and Sarawak state administrations, the Finance Ministry and the Economy Ministry.
Platform companies are also represented, including Abdul Rashid Abdul Shukor (Grab), Azrani Rustam (Bolt), Joshua Tan Soo Tjan (Troopers), Abhishek Menon (Lalamove), Francesca Chia Xiat Lin (GoGet), and Datuk Noor Mohd Maideen (MyCar).
Also included in the council are representatives from worker and industry groups, namely M. Nathan from the Land Public Transport Transformation Association (TPAD), Masrizal Mahidin (GEM), Mohd Khalil Saleh (the Professional Film Workers Association of Malaysia), Lim Yoke Kwan (the Malaysian Sign Language Interpreters and Translators National Organisation), Norazam Mohammad Nordin (the Kuala Lumpur and Selangor Independent Journalists Association), and Associate Professor Dr Mohd Sharizal Abdul Aziz from the Association of Physically Disabled E-Hailing Drivers Malaysia.
The council also includes academics and subject matter experts such as Associate Professor Dr Nurhidayah Abdullah, Associate Professor Dr Hazrul Izuan Shahiri, Dr Abdul Rahman Hamdan, Dr Rachel Gong Hui Ngee, and Farah Nabilah Abdul Rahman.
According to the gazette, the appointments take effect from April 1, 2026, to March 31, 2029.
MPGig is one of the key bodies formed under the Gig Workers Act 2025, tasked with advising the government on income standards, payment structures and broader policy direction for the gig economy. – April 3, 2026