The fund said the interim payment was designed to help lessen the financial burden of members applying for the facility as they face added woes caused by the increasing number of Covid-19 cases as well as flooding in several states in Malaysia.

It was also meant to assist members to tide things over while their applications are being approved and verified by the EPF, it added.

The online application process had been simplified and designed to safeguard members’ savings from potential scams and fraudsters.

“For those who have already submitted their supporting documents, the interim payment will begin from Jan 26 while for new applications that have yet to submit their relevant supporting documents, the interim payment will be processed within seven days from the date the application is received,” it added.

Once applications have been properly verified and approved, the EPF will proceed with the scheduled release of the remaining amount requested, minus the interim payment.

“In the event the self-declaration is found to be untrue or unsupported by the documents uploaded, the EPF reserves the right to stop future payments,” it added.