Politics · Malaysia Bureau
Government to study extending EPF i-Sayang scheme to non-citizen spouses
Malaysia's government is examining a proposal to expand the Employees Provident Fund's i-Sayang withdrawal scheme to include non-citizen wives of Malaysian workers. The move would broaden access to a scheme currently limited to citizen members.
LSN Malaysia ·
KUALA LUMPUR — The government, through the Employees Provident Fund (EPF), is undertaking a comprehensive review of a proposal to extend the i-Sayang scheme to non-citizen spouses of Malaysian contributors.
The i-Sayang scheme currently allows eligible EPF members to withdraw funds for specific purposes. Expanding the programme to cover non-citizen wives would represent a significant policy adjustment, potentially affecting a substantial number of Malaysian workers in cross-border marriages.
Official details on the timeline for the study and potential implementation remain limited. The EPF board is expected to conduct thorough consultations with relevant government agencies and stakeholders before making formal recommendations.
The proposal reflects broader discussions within Malaysia's financial planning sector regarding spousal benefits and fund accessibility. Any expansion of the scheme would require careful consideration of regulatory, administrative and fiscal implications.
The government has not announced a specific date for completion of the review or when further announcements regarding the scheme's potential expansion might be made.