EMPLOYEES Provident Fund (EPF) members facing trouble paying healthcare costs should be allowed to make Account 1 withdrawals, said Lanang MP Alice Lau.

She said this can be implemented if the members’ Account 2 savings are insufficient.

“EPF allows members with health problems to make withdrawals from Account 2 to cover their medical costs,” she said when debating the Supply Bill 2022 in the Dewan Rakyat today.

“However, after the three programmes (i-Lestari, i-Sinar and i-Citra) were implemented, most EPF members, especially those in the B40 group, no longer have Account 2 savings.”

The federal government had implemented the three programmes as additional financial facilities to individuals affected by Covid-19.

Lau said Putrajaya needs to speed up the decision to allow the “one-off” RM10,000 i-Citra withdrawal for people in need, as many hope that it will increase the EPF withdrawal limit.

However, these programmes compromise retirement savings, as each involves the withdrawal of EPF savings, she added.

“This really affects their lives in old age, during the day when they are unable to work or retire.” – Bernama, November 8, 2021.