Very Few Malaysians Can Afford To Retire. What Went Wrong? | Insight | Full Episode

Between 2020 and 2022, around USD$33 billion was withdrawn from Malaysia’s pension fund, the Employee Provident Fund (EPF), to help mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, about half of EPF contributors under the age of 55 have less than MYR10,000 in their accounts. And according to EPF officials, only 4 per cent of Malaysians can afford to retire. As soaring inflation and the weak ringgit drive up cost of living, the opposition has piled pressure on the government to allow for another round of EPF withdrawals. But Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has resisted further drawdowns. Can Malaysians afford to retire? What plans does the government have to replenish the pension fund? Is Malaysia facing a retirement timebomb? 00:00 Introduction 01:11 Why the need to withdraw pensions early? 7:29 Malaysia’s depleted retirement savings 10:41 Inflation and the rising cost of living 13:43 One freelance worker's situation 19:45 Was allowing early pension withdrawals the right move? 23:33 A deeper problem: Malaysians not saving enough 32:15 Can the EPF be replenished? 37:24 What could happen to retiring Malaysians with no savings? 41:13 A race against time to rebuild the EPF =============== ABOUT THE SHOW: Insight investigates and analyses topical issues that impact Asia and the rest of the world. ========================== #CNAInsider #CNAInsight #Malaysia #Retirement #Pension For more, SUBSCRIBE to CNA INSIDER! https://cna.asia/insideryoutubesub Follow CNA INSIDER on: Instagram:   / cnainsider   Facebook:   / cnainsider   Website: https://cna.asia/cnainsider