Najib takes the i-Citra withdrawal topic to Parliament, requesting that the last i-Citra withdrawal be approved.
Najib raised the subject of i-Citra withdrawals in Parliament, requesting that the government allow people to withdraw money from the scheme one last time.
During a discussion in Parliament on March 2, former Prime Minister Najib urged that the government should authorise the last i-Citra withdrawal so that people can access their EPF savings for emergencies.
Najib stated that this was the fourth time he had encouraged the government to comply with citizens’ requests to withdraw funds through the i-Citra scheme. Najib stated that the Barisan Nasional ministers and leaders had changed their minds and are now in favour of his idea.
Najib previously stated in a Facebook post that the optimal time to open up for i-Citra withdrawals by members is after the EPF payout and before Hari Raya.
Both the Umno Youth League and Umno President Ahmad Zahid had previously petitioned the EPF Board to re-approve members’ withdrawals from the EPF, but Finance Minister Tunku Zafrul had objected to both.
In an exclusive interview with Sinar Harian, Finance Minister Tunku Zafrul stated that there is a group of persons in the ruling party who are seeking to acquire a one-time RM10,000 withdrawal from the provident fund, and that he would sooner resign than compromise on a bad decision.
Re-approving CPF withdrawals, according to Zafrul, would be of no benefit to the public and would have a detrimental impact on individuals with fewer EPF accounts. Zafrul stated that this is a question of right and wrong, not only provident fund withdrawals, and that the government has no reason to compromise.
