Workmen's Compensation Act 1952
Akta Pampasan Pekerja 1952
Provides for the payment of compensation to workmen for injury suffered in the course of their employment.
Read the copy (English) — PDF, 68 pagesBahasa Melayu — PDF, 67 pages
Copy of the official text captured from the Laws of Malaysia portal (AGC) on 26 October 2026. Always check the official portal for the authoritative current version. Amendments made after the official “last updated” date are published separately as amending Acts (Act A…) on the portal.
| Number | Act 273 |
|---|---|
| Type | Federal Act |
| Applies to | Federal |
| Subject | Employment & labour |
| Year | 1952 |
| Official “last updated” | 1 January 2006 |
| Published by | Attorney General's Chambers — Laws of Malaysia portal (lom.agc.gov.my) |
| First enacted | 1952 (F.M. Ordinance No. 85 of 1952) |
| Revised | 1982 (Act 273 w.e.f. 22 July 1982) |
Long title
An Act to provide for the payment of compensation to workmen for injury suffered in the course of their employment.
Contents — Parts and sections
45 sections in 2 Parts, headings copied from the “ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS” of the official text (copy of 26 October 2026). Read the full wording in the PDF.
Definitions: section 3 (Interpretation).
- 1 Short title
Part I INTERPRETATION AND APPLICATION (3)
- s 2 Meaning of “workman”
- s 3 Interpretation
- s 3A Power to exempt
Part II WORKMEN’S COMPENSATION FOR INJURY (42)
- s 4 Employer’s liability for compensation
- s 5 Compensation for occupational diseases
- s 6 Compensation limited to injuries received at work
- s 7 Persons entitled to compensation
- s 8 Amount of compensation
- s 9 Method of calculating earnings
- s 10 Distribution of compensation
- s 11 Compensation not to be assigned, attached or charged
- s 12 Notice and claim
- s 13 Notice to Commissioner by employer
- s 14 Medical examination and treatment
- s 15 Approved hospitals and special hospitals
- s 16 Review
- s 16A Power of review
- s 17 Commutation of half-monthly payments
- s 18 Workman leaving Malaysia to reside elsewhere
- s 19 Liability in case of workmen employed by contractors
- s 20 Remedies both against employer and stranger
- s 21 Bankruptcy of employer
- s 22 Special provisions relating to seamen
- s 23 Returns as to compensation
- s 24 Contracting out
- s 25 Commissioner may receive and pay to dependants money due to a dead workman from his employer
- s 26 Compulsory insurance by employer
- P ART III THE COMMISSIONER AND ARBITRATORS
- s 27 Commissioners to hold inquiries
- s 28 Recording of agreements
- s 29 Effect of failure to record an agreement
- s 30 Arbitrator to decide when parties fail to agree
- s 31 Agreement to be free of stamp duty
- s 32 Appearance of parties
- s 33 Experts to assist Arbitrator
- s 34 Enquiry by Arbitrator
- s 35 Powers of the Commissioner and of an Arbitrator
- s 36 Arbitrator’s order to be sent to Commissioner
- s 37 Costs
- s 38 Power to submit cases
- s 39 Appeal from Arbitrator
- s 40 Enforcement of orders and agreements
- s 41 Limitation of workman’s right of action
- s 42 Reciprocal arrangements for payment of workman’s compensation.
- s 43 Regulations
- s 44 Repeal
Schedules: FIRST SCHEDULE · SECOND SCHEDULE · THIRD SCHEDULE
Related laws
Contracts Act 1950 (Act 136)Registration of Adoptions Act 1952 (Act 253)Adoption Act 1952 (Act 257)Employment Act 1955 (Act 265)Insolvency Act 1967 (Act 360)Interpretation Acts 1948 and 1967 (Act 388)Penal Code (Act 574)Criminal Procedure Code (Act 593)Child Act 2001 (Act 611)
Federal Acts that this law's official text itself refers to (as “[Act N]”), most-referred first.
Amendment history
| Amending law | Short title | In force from |
|---|---|---|
| L.N. 371/1955 | Members of the Federal Government (Change of Style and Title) Order 1955 | 09-08-1955 |
| Ord. 31/1956 | The Workmen’s Compensation (Amendment) Ordinance 1956 | 25-10-1956 |
| L.N. 332/1958 | Federal Constitution (Modification of Laws) (Ordinances and Proclamations) Order 1958 | 13-11-1958 |
| Act 25/1960 | Workmen’s Compensation (Amendment) Act 1960 | 30-07-1960 |
| Act 1/1963 | Insurance Act 1963 | 21-01-1963 |
| Act 7/1964 | Courts of Judicature Act 1964, s. 5 (s. 5 and as provided in s. 81) (otherwise— 16-03-1964) | 16-09-1963 |
| Act 33/1964 | Workmen’s Compensation (Amendment) Act 1964 | 12-11-1964 |
| L.N. 143/1964 | Ministers of the Federal Government Order 1964 | 17-05-1964 |
| Act 79/1965 | Companies Act 1965 | 15-04-1966 |
| Act 160 | Malaysian Currency (Ringgit) Act 1975 | 29-08-1975 |
| Act A361 | Workmen’s Compensation (Amendment) Act 1976 | 01-01-1977 |
| P.U. (A) 157/1981 Modification of Laws (Workmen’s | Compensation) (Extension and Modification) Order 1981 | 01-06-1981 |
| P.U. (A) 273/1984 | Federal Territory of Labuan (Modification of Workmen’s Compensation Act) Order 1984 | 16-04-1984 |
| Act A947 | Workmen’s Compensation (Amendment) Act 1996 LAWS OF MALAYSIA Act 273 WORKMEN’S COMPENSATION ACT 1952 | 02-08-1996 |
Copied from the “List of amendments” printed in the official text. Amendments made after the text's “as at” date are not in this list — check the portal for later amending Acts.
Version history
| Captured | Language | Official “last updated” | Pages | SHA-256 | File |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26 October 2026 | Bahasa Melayu | 22 July 1982 | 67 | 26432b193133 | PDF 39.2 MB |
| 26 October 2026 | English | 1 January 2006 | 68 | 2838a82d654a | PDF 1.1 MB |
A new version is kept only when the official file changes (different SHA-256 fingerprint). Older versions are never overwritten, so you can see what the text said on an earlier date.
Official source
- Official text (English) ↗
- Official text (Bahasa Melayu) ↗
- Attorney General's Chambers — Laws of Malaysia portal (lom.agc.gov.my) ↗
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