PETALING JAYA: Husbands can now voluntarily transfer 2% of their monthly contributions to the Employees Provident Fund (EPF) into their wives’ accounts via a new facility under the Employees Provident Fund (EPF).
Called the i-Sayang, EPF chief executive officer Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah Azizan said the facility was part of its ongoing efforts to further expand the social protection net to family institutions.
It was also to encourage more Malaysians not covered by any formal social protection scheme to save for their retirement, he added.
“By enabling husbands to voluntarily contribute 2% of their EPF monthly contributions, they would encourage their wives to have long-term savings as well as gain access to the quality social and income security currently enjoyed by EPF members,” he said in a statement yesterday.
About 2.4 million housewives in the country, said Amir Hamzah, were not in any employment or were outside the labour force, which meant that they were not covered by any form of social protection, leaving them more vulnerable to adversities or financial shocks.
“The i-Sayang initiative is in line with the government’s commitment to empower rights and take care of women’s welfare, in addition to applying family values in line with the concept of Malaysia Madani,” he added.
The i-Sayang was launched by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim during the International Women’s Day 2023 celebration in Kuala Lumpur, which was attended by Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Sri Nancy Shukri, EPF chairman Tan Sri Ahmad Badri Mohd Zahir, and Amir Hamzah.
Applications for i-Sayang can be made online through the EPF’s i-Akaun (Member), the EPF’s Self-Service Terminal (SST), or at any EPF counter nationwide.
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