DESPITE the advice against allowing withdrawals from the Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF) Account 1, school bus operators without income from school closures because of Covid-19, think otherwise.

Immediate needs, such as putting food on the table, are more pressing, they said, urging the government to allow them to withdraw from their retirement fund.

“I’ve lost my income and now, I am a Grab driver but because of the conditional movement-control order (CMCO), there are not many customers,” said Mohamed Aqwam Hassan, 33, who ran a school bus in Klang.

“I can only make RM50 to RM60 daily by driving Grab and I am also depending on the i-Lestari scheme. I do hope that the government will let us withdraw our EPF.”

The i-Lestari scheme is also under the EPF and allows contributors to withdraw up to RM500 a month from their Account 2 for a year,

Aqwam said he needs at least RM3,000 a month to pay utility bills, his house and car loan, besides covering family expenses.

Another school bus operator in Shah Alam, who wanted to be known as Fia, said she is suffering the same fate and blames heartless parents of the children she used to ferry.

“Some parents asked for refunds after schools were closed. It is not my fault that the school is closed. 

“I told them this is my only income but they still argue. I returned the money as I don’t want to create enemies because we all know one another living in a small township.”

Fia now depends on her husband’s income as a Grab driver.

“All I can think of is how much withdrawing from my EPF would help,” she said.

In the peninsula, the CMCO was reinstated for Selangor, Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya on October 14 for two weeks and extended for another two weeks until Monday.

All educational institutions have been ordered closed as a result, following a spike in Covid-19 cases in almost every state since late September.

Prior to the CMCO, schools opened in August after months under earlier lockdown since March.

There have been recent calls, including by Umno Youth and former prime minister Najib Razak, to allow EPF contributors to withdraw from their Account 1, which is strictly for retirement.

Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin initially appeared reluctant over the suggestion, warning that EPF contributors would face “bigger problems” in the future if they did so, but yesterday said in an interview with selected media that the government would consider the proposal.

EPF chief Tunku Alizakri Alias, however, disagrees, saying 71% of the fund’s active contributors have less than RM50,000 in their account, which translates to RM208 a month for 20 years of retirement.

Kind parents

Khairul Azim, who ferries school children in the Subang area, said he has been fortunate to have clients who are still willing to pay monthly bus fees for their children, even with school closed.

He said he did not force parents to pay and merely told them his predicament while welcoming any amount from parents who wish to help.

“I explained that with schools closed, I have no income and asked parents, if they’re willing to contribute a little. Not even the full amount.

“Thankfully, most of them cooperated even though they did not bank in the full amount. I still appreciate their kindness. This is my only source of income and I have a family to take care of.

“As long as school are closed, I won’t be earning money, so I hope the government can consider other options to help the people, such as allowing the withdrawal of our EPF money,” Khairul said.

Daniel Hoo Abdullah of Puncak Alam has traded his school bus for a part-time job as a delivery man. He is also withdrawing from his EPF Account 2 under the i-Lestari scheme.

“It is still not enough. My monthly expenses amount to RM2,800. Working under movement restrictions, I only can come up with RM1,500.

“If the government can consider allowing EPF withdrawals, I think it will help people like me a lot.” – November 5, 2020.