PUTRAJAYA’S lack of attention in Budget 2022 to replenish Employees Provident Fund (EPF) money withdrawn by members during the epidemic did not go well with Umno deputy president Mohamad Hasan.

However, the party’s youth chief said the wing was unhappy with the government’s decision in not allowing another one-off withdrawal under the i-Citra programme. 

Mohamad said although the overall budget was inclusive and fair, the government’s failure to focus on the matter was worrying, Mohamad wrote in a Facebook post. 

“It was an inclusive budget. Cash aid given to targeted groups under the Bantuan Keluarga Malaysia and we hope it will help ease some of the burden. 

“But the lack of focus on EPF on how to return the money to contributors is worrying because 46% of EPF members under 55 years’ old have less than RM10,000 in savings,” he said in the post. 

The Umno number two said if this matter is not solved, it would cost the government in the long run. 

“The wellbeing of the people after they retire is a national issue,” he added. 

Mohamad’s sentiment was not shared by Dr Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki, who expressed disappointment with Putrajaya for not allowing contributors to make a one-off withdrawal of RM10,000 under the i-Citra scheme. 

He said the Umno Youth will continue to pressure the government to allow the withdrawal, as well as other demands. 

“We are disappointed that the i-Citra scheme was not mentioned although we admit that some of them, including the interest-free moratorium for the B40 group, have been fulfilled. 

“Umno Youth we will continue fighting for our other demands not included in this budget. 

“We will study the budget proposals and the economic report in detail and raise matters accordingly,” he said in a statement posted on Facebook.

Eight million EPF contributors withdrew up to RM10,000 during the pandemic, totalling RM70 billion this year.

The government yesterday announced an allocation of RM332.1 billion for Budget 2022, the biggest in the country’s history. – October 30, 2021.