Imtiyaz

2 days ago I was listening to radio on my way to work. The topic that really draw my attention is about withdrawing Account II before 50 years old to perform haj.This was debated in Parliament session where the question was thrown by PKR-Bandar Baru Kulim Zulkifli Nordin and was answered by , Senator Datuk Dr Awang Adek Hussin cum Deputy Finance Ministry by saying “NO”

Below is his statement
"Pengeluaran dibenarkan oleh skim KWSP adalah hanya bagi tujuan yang berkaitan dengan persaraan atau menambah nilai simpanan untuk persaraan."

"Jadi, pengeluaran bagi tujuan menunaikan haji bukan saja tidak menepati objektif dan falsafah skim KWSP tetapi akan menjejaskan persaraan anggotanya pada masa depan," katanya.

You can find details here


If you were to ask my opinion, is very difficult for me to say Yes and No to his statement. Macam lalang pulak… yes pun iye..no pun iye… At one point I agree with Dr Awang Adek because pensioner finish up their EPF averagely within 3 years after their retirement . Habis lepas 3 tahun nak makan apa ek kalau tak keja..??? If one of the agenda of using up the EPF money is to perform hajj, I would say ok la…at least we spend for something significant/meaningful.

But the point now is below 50 which we know the Account II is for housing and education purpose. Our government also don’t mind if after 55 we use the EFP for hajj. Tapi tu la ..takkan nak tunggu 55 baru nak naik haji..??

While he said , we already have Tabung Haji (TH) for saving for hajj ? Why need to ‘kacau’ the EPF money..?? For rich people, high salary yes, they contribute to EFP for their retirement, they have extra-extra that can be distributed to insurance, club fees, gym fees included TH. But not all Malaysian people have this ‘extra-extra’ pocket money. Some of us even do not have portion for saving. I would say 2 categories of people who do not have saving. One is really tight because of small earning everything is just ‘cun-cun’ for makan pakai, sekolah anak-anak. Another one is with average or even high income but still very high commitment~ lifestyle,debts and yet no plan to save. End of month, all the money gone. This group is pretty much poorer than the first group..

Let’s focus on the first group. With their condition, where to find extra money to be saved in TH. Nevertheless this is also not an excuse if they really want to save right! Every year we always heard of story how an old poor man, saving RM20 per month in TH and after so many years, eventually, he manage to perform hajj. Sometimes, he even feel embarrassed to go to TH to keep the money as he saw other people is saving hundreds/ thousands but him only RM20. But he doesn’t care because he has his GOAL.

Ok, back to EFP is not for hajj below 50s. Some opinion I listened in the radio were :

1) “ Ini duit kami, suka hati kami la nak buat apa”
2) “ orang yang buat dasar ni, dalam bahasa kasarnya tak reti hukum’
3) “takkan nak tunggu tua, kalau mati dulu tak sempat 55, tak dan buat haji”

And lots more .

Some of them comeout with proposal. This is want we want :
1) Izinklan mengeluarkan EPF RM1300 untuk pendaftaran haji di TH ketika di bawah 50. kemudian baru lock. Sekurang-kurangnya pencarum dah buat akaun hajj dn mendaftar,selepas itu berdikit-dikit la menyimpan
2) Account III untuk perubatan, boleh juga digunakan sebagai pendaftaran haji sebab ini juga untuk kaedah rawatan untuk hati/emosi . bukan hanya mementingkan kesihatan fizikal. - sejak bila ada accIII ni.saya kah yang ketinggalan ?

Lastly I made up my mind. I agree if Account II be opened for hajj. But we have to plan and spend wise during young age so that we can retire with financial freedom + become haji or hajjah before 50. What government worried is we Malaysian not that good in managing money. Ya ka..?

Since we also as TH as one of the facility, make use of it. Dikit-dikit lama-lama jadi bukit kan. We also have to be disciplined. Not everytime short of money, we withdraw it from TH. Sampai bila pun tak cukup nak buat tambang. Now TH is more flexible compare to those time when I was small, only able to withdraw 2 times from TH in a year. And now I feel sort of allergic to go to TH to withdraw money just because of one real story of my friend. She withdraw about RM30k from TH and this money is to build a house. While waiting for the money, this old man who duty at the counter said to her. Ayat dia lebih kurang macam ni la. I cannot recall the correct sentence

“ Bok keluaq duit banyak-banyak, bukan nak p haji pun.”

My friend get mad. I mean , ya we save in TH for one of main purpose it to perfom hajj, but in my friend case, she need the money to build a house for her family. Their own house and stop renting. What is the priority at that moment 1) Having our own house for our family to live comfortably 2) to perform hajj and when u get back you still renting…. Susah tu.Susah lagi bila jumpa orang macam pegawai kat kaunter tu.

Thus,I try to treat TH as saving and as much as I can avoid to always withdraw it. Sebab trauma kisah kawan ni la.. but not all will behave this way kan !.

And insyaAllah, when Allah calls us to be one of His guest, even money is yet to full, Allah will show you the way . Like my arwah mama, she performed hajj in 2000 at the age of 46. She never expect to be called because according to her turn, it should be the following year and money in TH haven’t reach amount supposed to be . For a government servant, all she has is the salary. But she told me, is a miracle/rahmat from Allah. Within few months, she able to made it up. She able to concentrate saving and somehow there were always rezeki for her to top up her TH and less burden on other commitment likes debts, sudden debts and etc.

After the first visit to Makkah, she prayed that she can go there again but looking at our family financial situation, she knew that is not so soon or she might not have chance anymore. We plan, Allah also plan, definitely Allah’s plan is great.

With only balance of RM2-3k in TH, Allah called her again to be His honorable guest, with this 3k she flew to Makkah end 2005 . This time is treat from my papa. First papa’s visit and 2nd time for mama. Papa use his EPF to bring mama together. Bukan banyak mana pun EPF bapak saya. Orang bawahan saja .Tapi Alhamdulillah, jejak jugak kaki ke Makkah. But this time is is not thru TH but MAS as my father is ex-MAS employee. Tiket is free, still need 10k per person for accommodation, food etc.. equal to RM20k of hajj package . But according to mama, it more comfortable compare her 1st time joining Muassasah TH. Ya la.. dok hotel Hilton. Sebilik 3 orang. Flying with daily business flight, bukan kapal haji. And only 120 haji and hajjah allocated from TH to MAS employee per year.

Alhamdulilah, Allah’ rahmat. At least before mama ‘rest’ peacefully, I am sure she feel kind of satisfy and we thank Allah for the twice opportunity to perform hajj granted to her

And now is her children’s turn. One of her advise when she came back form her 1st visit was

“Nor ( panggilan saya dirumah), pi la haji muda-muda, kuat sikit nak buat ibadah banyak-banyak. Mama tengok ramai orang muda p. Seronok tengok depa semangat. Simpan duit la ni"

InsyaAllah, we pray hard together. May 2024 realize our dream ( lambatnya 2024, nak wat camna, dah gilirannya macam tu)