KUALA LUMPUR: A total of 592 housewives have signed up for the Suri Incentive programme (i-Suri) when it officially opened for registration at Employee Provident Fund (EPF) offices nationwide on Wednesday.
As of June 30, 2018, a total of 359,065 housewives and women registered in the e-Kasih database qualify for the scheme.
EPF services chief, Normila Sami, said there are still many among the target group who are unaware of the terms and conditions to qualify for the scheme.
“As of 4.30pm today (Wednesday), a total of 839 people have come forward to ask about the scheme, but only 592 have signed up to apply.
“Those who qualify are housewives, single mothers and single women under 60-years-old, who need to register themselves in the National Poverty Database (eKasih) to determine whether they qualify for the scheme or otherwise.
“i-Suri recipients need to make a minimum contribution of RM5 to enable them to receive the government’s incentive of RM40 a month in their EPF accounts,” she said.
Normila said the public can get more information on EPF’s products and services by visiting any branches nationwide, or by contacting its Communications Management Centre at 03-8922 6000, or by visiting www.kwsp.gov.my.
Meanwhile, speaking to reporters at the Parliament lobby on Wednesday, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, said the registration was the first phase of the i-Suri programme.
At the programme’s launch recently, Dr Wan Azizah, who is also Women, Family and Community Minister, said the government has allocated RM20 million for the first phase of the programme.
In the first phase, the government is contributing RM40 a month for each individual’s minimum contribution of RM5 into the person’s EPF account.
For the second phase, which will begin next year, the government’s contribution will increase to RM50, with RM10 going to the Social Security Organisation (Socso).
The third phase will involve a two per cent contribution from husbands into their wives’ EPF accounts. This is expected to take off in 2020 as it will involve legislative amendments.
Those who qualify for the i-Suri programme will receive the same benefits as other EPF members such as annual dividends on retirement savings; withdrawals at age 50, 55 and 60; disability aid and death benefits. --Reporting by Fairul Asmaini Mohd Pilus, Farhany Rahman and Amira Eizan Azman