KUCHING: The state government remains committed to strengthening the future financial security of housewives through its continued strategic collaboration with the Employees Provident Fund (EPF) to expand inclusive social protection coverage.
Minister for Women, Childhood and Community Wellbeing Development Datuk Seri Fatimah Abdullah said the initiative focuses on the importance of long-term savings, particularly for women who are not employed in the formal sector.
She said her ministry has been working closely with EPF over the past five years through the i-Suri programme, with the Sarawak government beginning its contribution to the initiative in 2020.
“A total of 46,632 contributors have benefited from the programme, with the state government contributing RM3.4 million during the initial phase of its implementation. In fact, Sarawak is among the highest-performing states in terms of participation and contributions to the programme,” she said.
She said this when receiving a courtesy call from an EPF delegation led by its director Aminuddin Abdul Aziz, at her office in Baitulmakmur II on Tuesday (Jun 9).
Fatimah said the state government had also allocated more than RM34 million to assist housewives registered under the eKasih database, ensuring that vulnerable groups are not left behind in accessing social protection benefits.
Through the i-Suri programme, she said participants are encouraged to make voluntary contributions to their EPF accounts.
“The higher the contribution, the greater the savings accumulated and dividends earned over the long term,” she said.
Fatimah pointed out that apart from offering competitive dividend returns, the programme also provides additional benefits, including a death benefit of RM2,500 and disability assistance resulting from accidents.
“The initiative plays an important role in narrowing the gap between women in the formal and informal sectors by ensuring both groups have access to similar social protection benefits,” she said.
At the same time, Fatimah revealed that there were challenges in 2025 following the absence of additional contributions from the federal hovernment, compared to previous years when participants received an annual incentive of RM480.
She expressed hope that the collaboration between the state government and EPF would continue to be strengthened to enable more housewives to benefit from the programme and enjoy greater financial security in their retirement years.
