Six NGOs urge govt to allow EPF emergency withdrawals

PUTRAJAYA – Six non-governmental organisations (NGOs), representing about 320,000 Employees Provident Fund (EPF) contributors who have savings of RM100,000 or more, are calling for the government to allow contributors to make targeted emergency withdrawals immediately.

Among the NGOs are Global Human Rights Federation (GHRF), Pertubuhan Gagasan Inovasi Rakyat Malaysia (PGIRM), the Malaysian Muslim Consumers Association (PPIM), and Independent Living and Training Centre Malaysia.

GHRF president S. Shashi Kumar said people are struggling in the face of the economic challenge in the country and are hard-pressed by the increasing costs of daily living.

According to him, in a dialogue session on February 4, contributors expressed their pain and suffering as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic and how until now they have been unable to restore their daily lives due to outstanding debts after losing jobs, financial loans, high-interest rates and being unable to depend on monthly salaries to bear their daily living expenses.

“There are 15.5 million EPF contributors as of June 2022 and not all contributors are asking for these withdrawals,” he said. 

“Therefore, the government needs to give consideration to contributors who are desperate to make withdrawals to help restart their lives and get through these difficult times."

Shashi told reporters this after submitting a memorandum for the attention of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to allow eligible contributors to make immediate withdrawals.

The memorandum was received by the special officer of the senior private secretary in the Prime Minister's Department, Muhammad Fikri Khalid, here today. – Bernama, February 17, 2023