'Not all of us are privileged!' — Viral post urging optional EPF withdrawals sparks heated debate
'Not everyone is blessed with financially-responsible parents. You have no idea what I went through in the last few years unable to afford helping my dad who already lost all his EPF money.
'If you oppose it, check your privileges.
'I think it should at least be optional,' the user stated.
ALSO READ: Sarawak retirees allegedly finds extra RM320,000 in EPF savings, turns out to be system glitch
The post quickly went viral, drawing a flood of reactions from netizens on both sides of the divide.
Some users empathised with the initial user's struggles, sharing similar experiences where their families had no financial safety net.
Netizen izzulaiman shared: 'This just happened to my parents. The last resort was to liquidate one of their houses and move to another house. They tend to overspend and have the mentality that if money remains in EPF then other people will use that money instead of themselves.'
Others argued that financial freedom means having the right to access one's own retirement savings — especially in times of crisis.
'It is already optional now, but they are trying to make it mandatory for everyone. That is a direct threat to our financial freedom,' bitcoinmalaya opined.
'I am sorry to hear about your personal experience. But the mistakes of a minority should never be used to justify controlling the majority.
'It is every citizen's responsibility to defend our freedom, especially when it comes to our own money,' the same user argued.
However, not everyone agreed. Some pointed out that EPF withdrawals are already allowed under certain conditions.
'Err ..Actually, members aged 55 can choose to withdraw their entire savings or withdraw their savings through monthly or yearly installments or as payment instructions...it's optional,' KocingBela wrote.
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