With another extension of the MCO from 28 June, the government announced a new EPF withdrawal scheme called i-Citra to help Malaysians affected by the COVID-19 situation.

What can you get?

Depending on your total EPF savings balance (Account 1 + Account 2), you can withdraw up to RM5,000 from your EPF savings.

When will you get the money?

The first payment will be credited to your account in August 2021.

Who can withdraw under i-Citra?

If you want to withdraw under i-Citra, you’ll have to meet the following requirements:

Aged 55 years old and below.
Have at least RM150 in total EPF savings.

How can you apply for i-Citra?

You can apply through the i-Citra online portal at http://icitra.kwsp.gov.my/ from 12 July 2021 to 30 September 2021.

When you apply for i-Citra, EPF will send a one-time password (OTP) to your mobile phone number. You’ll need to enter that OTP when you apply for i-Citra to verify the withdrawal.

So, make sure that your mobile phone number is up to date in EPF’s records and that your bank account is active to be sure you receive your payments!

You can update your mobile phone number at an EPF kiosk. After you’ve updated your number, you can log into your i-Akaun online and confirm that your phone number is up to date.

If you need to, you can check with your bank on the status of your bank account.

How will i-Citra work?

The money will be withdrawn from your Account 2 first. If you don’t have enough funds in Account 2, the money will be taken from your Account 1.

Assuming you withdraw the maximum RM5,000, the money will be credited to your bank account in instalments of RM1,000 every month over five months. The payments will start in August 2021.

The minimum amount you can withdraw is RM250, or RM50 a month. You must also leave a balance of at least RM100 in your EPF Account 1.

To check how much EPF savings you have, you can log into your EPF i-Akaun portal, the i-Akaun mobile app or an EPF kiosk.

Can you apply for i-Citra if you’ve applied for i-Sinar and i-Lestari?

Previously, Malaysians were also allowed to withdraw their EPF savings under the i-Sinar and i-Lestari schemes. Applications for i-Sinar just closed on 30 June 2021.

As long as you have at least RM150 of savings left in your total EPF balance on the date you apply, you can still apply for i-Citra even if you’d withdrawn your EPF savings under i-Sinar and i-Lestari.

Should you apply for i-Citra?

If you need the money to make ends meet, the i-Citra withdrawal will be useful for you. But try and withdraw only what you need instead of the maximum RM5,000.

But if you can afford to, try not to withdraw from EPF, as the money is for your retirement. You’ll also lose out on the dividends you earn from EPF every year. EPF guarantees a minimum dividend of 2.5% a year. From 2011 to 2020, EPF paid out an average dividend of 6.1% a year.

For further information on i-Citra, you can check out EPF’s website at www.kwsp.gov.my or call i-Citra’s hotline at 03-8922 4848.

Want to know why it’s important to keep your money in EPF? Watch this video.

If you need help planning your budget, check out our budget calculator. You can also use our savings goal calculator to help you reach your goals.

Want to find out how much money you can accumulate in your EPF savings if you keep your money there? Use our retirement savings calculator.