FOLLOWING the Government’s decision to allow another round of withdrawals from the Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF), the Malaysian Employers Federation (MEF) urged the Government to be tactful about it.
Its president Datuk Syed Hussain Syed Husman advised the Government to only allow the withdrawal to be approved for specific needs only, depending on the situation.
“We hope that the EPF would deliberate on the matter thoroughly and decide on what the specific cases should be,” Astro Awani reported him as saying earlier today.
He added that the Government should instead enact other schemes to help the suffering masses instead of allowing them to use up their own retirement savings for it.
“This is worrying as only 3% of the EPF contributors can retire comfortably based on the current statistics,” Syed Hussain reminded.
However, several netizens were unimpressed with Syed Hussain’s comments and called him out for his hypocrisy as MEF had been vehemently opposed to raising the minimum wage.
User Amrul Azmi Mizan said:
(The MEF: 1. Opposed to the RM1,500 minimum wage hike. 2. They are also against the RM10,000 withdrawal from the EPF. This is how Malaysian employers are, folks)
Echoing his sentiments, user Mamu Emjay added:
(The MEF is speaking on behalf of workers? What a joke!)
Netizen Ariff Stadey retortd by saying:
(Let’s pay him RM1,500 monthly and let’s see whether he can pay of his house rental, car instalment, maid service and groceries with that amount)
Do you know our suffering, MEF?
Yesterday, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob announced that the Government had agreed to another round of withdrawals from the EPF, up to RM10,000.
He also said that the Government has decided on this as they are aware that many people were still struggling from the after-effects of COVID-19.
“This is a difficult decision to make because it involved the people’s retirement money. Basically, we are juggling between the urgent need of today and retirement.
“Although we have allowed another withdrawal, I appeal to the contributors to maintain their savings unless the situation is really urgent,” the Bera MP stated yesterday.
On that note, several netizens reminded Syed Hussain that many Malaysians are now struggling to put food on the table owing the pandemic crisis, which also triggered an economic downturn.
User Hashim Raizo claimed:
(Has this guy ever seen in his back account only having RM2? Has Syed Hussain ever had to worry about having enough rice at home? Judging from his face, I think he has never gone through all these in his life)
Netizen Zaini Dauli posted a cheeky reply, stating:
(Since Syed Hussain is so worried, come help me settle my outstanding debts which I have incurred due to the movement control order. Talk is cheap)- March 17, 2022
Main photo credit: Wacana.my
