EPF - Syariah Fund

Contributors to the Employees Provident Fund (EPF) may choose to have a KWSP-I account managed and invested in compliance with Syariah principles when amendments to the Employees Provident Fund Act 1991 are passed.


Deputy Finance Minister Datuk Johari Abdul Ghani said the amendments to the Act 1991, tabled for second reading at the Dewan Rakyat on Tuesday, also provides for the establishment of a Syariah Advisory Committee and an Investment Panel to ensure syariah compliance.


"In line with the creation of the KWSP-I account, Section 27 will be amended to enable two dividend rates to be announced for EPF contributors," he said.


Further under the new amendments, the EPF board may have the power to declare a dividend of not less than 2.5% per annum for members who have not elected for their accounts to be managed according to syariah principles.

The Bill also states that the EPF may have the power to declare a dividend of not less than 2.5% per annum for those whose elections have not taken effect.


"In respect of contributions made by the members of the Fund whose elections for their accounts be managed according to the Syariah under the proposed section 43A have come into effect, the Board shall declare dividend at any rates according to the actual performance of the investment made by the Board in relation to the accounts," reads the Bill.


The proposed law also seeks to introduce a new definition of "loan" to include financing in accordance with syariah.


Apart from that, the Bill also seeks to introduce a new section to provide that any contribution that has been credited into the account of a member after he or she has attained the age of 55 may only be withdrawn when the member turns 60.


It also seeks to introduce a new section which states that no dividend shall be credited into the account of a member who is not a Malaysian if no contribution has been credited into his or her account over a period of three years.