I-TOPUP CONTRIBUTIONS UP 26 PCT, SIGNALS HIGH TRUST IN NATION’S FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS – AMIR HAMZAH

PUTRAJAYA, Feb 28 (Bernama) -- Public willingness to contribute above the statutory rate through the Employees Provident Fund (EPF) i-Topup scheme signals high trust in the stability of the country’s financial institutions, said Finance Minister II Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah Azizan.

The EPF announced that i-Topup contributions rose 26 per cent for the year ended Dec 31, 2025.

Formerly known as voluntary excess, the EPF i-Topup allows employees or employers to contribute beyond the statutory rate of 11 per cent (or 12 per cent) to automatically boost retirement savings, subject to a maximum limit of RM100,000 per year.

The EPF today declared a dividend rate of 6.15 per cent for 2025 for both conventional and Shariah savings accounts, with total payouts of RM79.6 billion.

For 2025, it recorded distributable income of RM82.7 billion, up 9.5 per cent from RM75.5 billion in 2024.

According to Amir Hamzah, these achievements also reflect the government’s commitment to restructuring the economy to ensure the sustainability of national prosperity and to strengthen social protection for the people.

“The MADANI government will continue to ensure that national prosperity is inclusive, sustainable, and delivers long-term benefits to Malaysians,” he said in a post on X today.

He also said that the voluntary EPF contributions, which reached RM19.2 billion in 2025, prove that people have surplus income to invest for retirement savings.

He added that this was further reinforced by a 50.8 per cent surge in i-Saraan contributions to RM4.0 billion, showing that gig and informal-sector workers are now better able to build financial protection thanks to vigorous domestic economic activity.

Referring to today’s EPF dividend announcement, Amir Hamzah said that despite facing an uncertain economic environment, the broader benefits of economic growth are evident in rising contribution totals, steady wage increases, and active member and employer registrations.

-- BERNAMA