Workers Left in the Dark About EPF Contributions

Sufia Saidi, 35, who previously worked in administration at a private company, discovered a troubling issue regarding her pay slips. For over a year, they indicated regular deductions for the Employees Provident Fund (EPF), yet those funds never made it to her EPF account.

“I found out in June last year when a colleague pointed it out,” Sufia recounted. Upon checking the EPF app, she saw that the last recorded contribution was in March 2024, an amount of RM504. Despite the monthly deductions from her salary, she later realized that no deposits had been made since then, leaving her with arrears totaling RM8,064.

After bringing the matter to the attention of her company’s HR department, she was told to “wait a while” because they believed that clients were late with payments. “That felt like a poor excuse,” she remarked, noting that no action had been taken. She has since resigned from her position.

Describing her experience as more than just a financial setback, Sufia noted that it had disrupted her long-term plans. “We put in hours of work, yet our rights as employees seem to have been overlooked,” she expressed.

“The money was supposed to be for our retirement. Now, with no activity in our EPF account, we’re unable to even secure a home loan or personal loan,” she added, reflecting on the emotional distress the situation has caused.

Sufia filed a report at EPF headquarters in May and is still waiting for any updates.

Mohd Zaidi Ahmad, 37, experienced a similar situation. Despite consistent monthly deductions from his salary, his employer had not made any EPF contributions since January 2024. “I realized this when I checked my i-Akaun. The last deposit was in January. Since then, my pay slip shows deductions, but there’s nothing in my account,” he shared.

He noted that the outstanding amounts are quite significant, yet he’s received only vague assurances from his employer. “They keep saying it will be credited soon, but I never get a clear timeline. It feels like empty promises,” Zaidi explained.

Zaidi revealed his frustration over how his financial future has become uncertain due to what he believes should be a routine obligation of employers. “How can we plan ahead if even basic contributions like EPF aren’t managed properly? This is our right and our hard-earned money,” he concluded.