KUALA LUMPUR: The interim payment of up to RM1,000 under Employees Provident Fund (EPF) i-Sinar facility for Category 2 contributors has provided a short-term and fast financial assistance to many, especially those adversely affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.
The interim payment, received in stages by contributors since Jan 25, has helped them to continue their survival while waiting for their applications to be approved and verified by the EPF.
For Wan Rosdan Wan Ghazali, 47, the interim payment received has helped him managing the needs of his children to follow home-based teaching and learning (PdPR) session during the implementation of the movement control order (MCO) 2.0 until Feb 18.
“I use this money for my school-going children, as well as my eldest child who is currently undergoing industrial training with different needs and expenses.
“My income has been affected due to Covid-19 as I can’t make overtime claims at work, but I am very grateful that I still have a job even though I’m only earning basic salary at the moment,” he said when contacted by Bernama.
Wan Rosdan, who works in the manufacturing sector in Shah Alam, also hoped that his EPF withdrawal application for Category 2 would be approved as he desperately needs money for other pressing commitments.
Meanwhile, a single mother, Sarifah Sulaiman, 48, expressed her appreciation with the interim payment as it helped her made payment to her outstanding debt as well as for the education of her child who is in Form Three.
“I only started working in the past one year, as I was a full-time housewife before. In fact, I was working for 14 years prior to my marriage,” Sarifah, who lives in Kuala Lumpur.
Meanwhile, Muhammad Sabri Mohd Ibrahim, a storekeeper, who recently got married, described the interim payment as an extra savings for to start a new life with his wife.
Muhammad Sabri, 28, who earns extra income as a Grab driver, also expressed his gratitude as the money has provided him some relief.
In the meantime, Noorhaslyana Saharudin, 25, who has various financial commitments, said she welcome the interim payment as it helped her with household expenses.
She also hoped that her EPF withdrawal application would be approved so that she could settle the existing debts to reduce her current financial commitment.
As at Jan 4, the EPF has approved 2.5 million out of 3.88 million applications under i-Sinar Category 1 which was opened for submissions from Dec 21, 2020.
About 1.4 million applications submitted under Category 2, which open for submissions since Jan 11. – Bernama
