KUALA LUMPUR, March 16 – Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob today said the government has agreed to allow a special withdrawal of RM10,000 from the Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF) to help those in financial difficulty due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
He said in a brief live telecast that the government is cognizant of the difficulty the public faces in recovering from the pandemic, but urged the public to only make the withdrawal if absolutely necessary.
“This was a difficult decision for the government, as this is the retirement fund of the rakyat. But it is necessary to meet their needs today,” Ismail said, adding that the government felt the decision was a middle-ground solution.
“While the government will allow this special withdrawal, I urge all contributors to maintain their savings unless the situation is truly pressing. I hope contributors will carefully consider this.”
The government had previously allowed EPF contributors to dip into their savings on three separate occasions between 2020 and 2021, as the public reeled from strict pandemic curbs that all but halted businesses and outdoor activities.
On Monday, Finance Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz said contributors could have enjoyed dividends of up to 6.7% for the year 2021 instead of 6.1% if they did not make the earlier withdrawals.
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