After feedback, DAP says Johor voters want EPF withdrawal

 

JOHOR POLLS | DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng has acknowledged that people want the government to allow them to withdraw their savings in the Employees Provident Fund (EPF) after seeking feedback during the Johor election campaign.

This was despite DAP leaders previously criticising such a move, arguing that it was the government's duty to provide aid to the people in times of hardship instead of having them dip into their retirement savings.

Lim (above) said the EPF withdrawal is among six key issues that Johor voters have voiced out about.

"After a week of campaigning in Johor, feedback from voters revolve around six main people-centric issues that the BN/PN government have failed to address.

"The government should allow the public to withdraw their EPF contributions, if not by RM10,000, then at least RM5,000 to allow them to meet their financial obligations," he said in a statement.

Amid an economic downturn due to the Covid-19 pandemic which started in 2020, the government has allowed people to dip into their EPF savings three times.

Finance Minister Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz, who has no party affiliation but is seen to be close with Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin, has warned that further withdrawals will see many people retiring without sufficient savings.

Key political parties, particularly Umno, have pushed for the populist policy. Umno is now pushing for the fourth round of withdrawals.

EPF chief executive officer Amir Hamzah Azizan stressed that the institution's mandate was to help the working public save money for their old age and hoped there won't be further withdrawals.

“I understand when we receive pressure like this. But we need to remember that the mandate given to EPF under our act (EPF Act 1991) is to help members save for their old age," he had said.

The EPF on March 2 announced a dividend of 6.1 percent for conventional savings and 5.65 percent for shariah savings in 2021.

Inflation and electricity tariff

Lim said other Johor voters' concerns include inflation, the increase in electricity tariff, and the imposition of income tax on Malaysians working in Singapore even though they are already paying taxes in that country.

The electricity tariff hike and income tax have been rolled out for businesses but are postponed for individuals.

"Inflation and rising prices of food, basic commodities, materials and business costs that will only be exacerbated by the Russian invasion of Ukraine with oil rising to more than US$115 per barrel.

"To check rising prices, DAP has proposed a Price Stabilisation Fund with an initial seed fund of RM3 billion derived from the prosperity tax or windfall tax introduced this year.

"Unfortunately, neither BN nor PN has responded to this suggested solution," he added.

Lim said the rise in the goods of prices was not in tandem with salaries and many cannot make ends meet.

He added that Johoreans also want to see the immediate reopening of the border with Singapore to allow for an economic recovery.

Lim said they are also worried about the plan to increase the Covid-19 standard operating procedures (SOP) fine from RM1,000 to RM10,000 for individuals and up to RM1 million for businesses.

The revision of the fines through an amendment to the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act 1988 has been tabled in the Dewan Rakyat.

“The government should take full responsibility for its failure to manage the Covid-19 pandemic and not pin the blame on the people by increasing penalties and compound fines," he said.

The Johor election was called amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

Campaigning started on Feb 26. Johoreans will go to the polls on March 12. - Mkini