KUALA LUMPUR: A significantly larger number of Employees Provident Fund (EPF) members have opted to withdraw part of their retirement savings for investment in unit trusts.

The amount withdrawn under Members Investment Withdrawals in the first quarter of 2010 rose 43.26% to RM911.15mil from RM636.01mil withdrawn in the corresponding period last year, said EPF in a press statement.

Total applications approved under this withdrawal increased to 113,809 from 87,420 in the same period last year.

“The increase in withdrawals for investments is in tandem with the recovery in the domestic economy that began in the third quarter of 2009, and has since continued to gain momentum,” said EPF chief executive officer Tan Sri Azlan Zainol.

He added that the increase was also attributed to the rise in the number of members who were eligible for investment withdrawals.

Priority towards prudent investing was also reflected in the increasing number of retirees who opted for Flexible 55 Withdrawals to stretch the value of their retirement savings as opposed to Lump Sum Withdrawals. — Bernama (June 11, 2010)