Govt studies proposal to extend EPF i-Sayang scheme to non-citizen wives

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 12 — The Malaysian government, via the Employees Provident Fund (EPF), is considering a proposal to broaden the reach of the i-Sayang scheme to include non-citizen wives of Malaysian husbands. This proposal will be thoroughly examined, with particular attention paid to preserving families' retirement savings and maintaining the scheme's viability.

The government acknowledges the proposal, which aims to permit non-citizen wives to receive transferred contributions from their Malaysian citizen husbands. However, before proceeding, the government will carefully evaluate the scheme's implementation, taking into account its potential impact on retirement savings protection, objectives, legal considerations, governance, operations, and overall program sustainability.

As of August 31, 2026, 233,371 Malaysian husbands have registered as voluntary contributors to the i-Sayang scheme, which has transferred a total of RM563.6 million to their wives' EPF accounts.