KUALA LUMPUR –The interim payment of up to RM1,000 under Employees Provident Fund (EPF) i-Sinar facility for Category 2 contributors has provided a short-term and fast financial assistance to many, especially those adversely affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.
The interim payment, received in stages by contributors since January 25, has helped them to continue to survive, while waiting for their applications to be verified and approved by the provident fund.
For Wan Rosdan Wan Ghazali, 47, the interim payment received has helped him manage the needs of his children to follow home-based teaching and learning (PdPR) sessions for the movement control order (MCO) 2.0 period until February 18.
“I use this money for my school-going children, as well as my eldest child who is currently undertaking an industrial training course with different needs and expenses.
“My income has been affected due to the Covid-19 pandemic as I can’t make overtime claims at work, but I am very grateful that I still have a job even though I’m only earning basic salary at the moment,” he said when contacted by Bernama.
Wan Rosdan, who works in the manufacturing sector in Shah Alam, also hoped that his EPF withdrawal application for Category 2 would be approved soon as he desperately needs money for other pressing commitments.
Meanwhile, a single mother, Sarifah Sulaiman, 48, expressed her appreciation with the interim payment as it helped her make payment on her outstanding debt as well as for the education of her child who is in Form Three.
“I only started working in the past one year, as I was a full-time housewife before. In fact I was working for 14 years prior to my marriage,” Sarifah, who lives in Kuala Lumpur.
Meanwhile, Muhammad Sabri Mohd Ibrahim, a storekeeper, who recently got married, described the interim payment as an extra savings for to start a new life with his wife.
Muhammad Sabri, 28, who earns extra income as a Grab driver, also expressed his gratitude as the money has provided him some relief.
In the meantime, Noorhaslyana Saharudin, 25, who has various financial commitments, said she welcomed the interim payment as it helped her with household expenses.
She also hoped that her EPF withdrawal application would be approved so that she could settle the existing debts to reduce her current financial commitment.
As at January 4, the EPF has approved 2.5 million out of 3.88 million applications under i-Sinar Category 1 which was opened for submissions on December 21, 2020.
About 1.4 million applications submitted under Category 2, which opened for submissions on January 11.– Bernama, February 6, 2021
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