No approval for EPF withdrawal protest at Parliament, say cops

December 16, 2022

No approval for EPF withdrawal protest at Parliament, say cops

PETALING JAYA: Police have denied giving permission to a group to stage a protest at the Parliament building on Monday to call on the government to allow targeted Employees Provident Fund (EPF) withdrawals again.“We have not given any approvals for this gathering, and we have not received any applications for it as well,” said Dang Wangi district police chief Noor Dellhan Yahaya in a statement.

He said applications for approval have to be submitted in line with Section 9 (1) of the Peaceful Assembly Act, which states that police must be given five days notice before a protest.Yesterday, a poster was uploaded on Facebook calling on people to support a solidarity gathering at the Parliament building to urge the government to allow targetted EPF withdrawals for the second time.

Posters of the event, said to be organised by an NGO known as Pertubuhan Gagasan Inovasi Rakyat (PGIR), have been circulating on other social media platforms as well.

Noor Dellhan advised people to refrain from attending gatherings that do not abide by the law.

“We will take action against anyone involved,” he warned.

In August, then deputy finance minister Shahar Abdullah said about RM145 billion had been withdrawn by EPF members following the earlier withdrawal schemes.

He added that EPF members’ savings were at a low and “very worrying” level.