List of New EPF Initiatives 2026 Starting January

The EPF has announced several new EPF 2026 initiatives aimed at strengthening retirement savings and aligning members’ social protection with the current cost of living. Visit the official EPF portal to know the latest announcements and changes made by EPF in

This change will come into effect in January 2026. See the complete information below.

What is EPF?

EPF, Employee’s Provident Fund or EPF is a government agency under the Ministry of Finance that is responsible for managing pension plans for private sector workers and public workers who do not receive a pension.

Simply put, this is a long-term savings system in which part of your monthly salary (employee share) and additional contributions from the employer (employee share) are deposited into a special account.

The money is then invested by the EPF to generate annual dividends, so that your savings continue to grow to ensure financial comfort when you retire or reach the age of 55.

Since January 2026, the Employee’s Provident Fund (EPF) has implemented several significant policy improvements to align member savings with current economic realities.

List of EPF New Initiatives 2026

Following is the updated list of EPF’s new initiatives for 2026 to strengthen members’ social security:

1. Increased Hajj EPF Withdrawal Limit

From 1 January 2026, EPF has increased the maximum limit for Hajj withdrawals from RM3,000 to RM10,000 to help members cover the increasing costs of Hajj.

The amount allowed is according to the lesser of RM10,000 or the existing balance in the member’s Wealth Account.

This upgrade allows members to use their savings more flexibly for current financial needs without compromising long-term protection.

Eligibility Requirements:

• Members must be Malaysian citizens who are Muslim and under 10 years old 55 years old.
• Member must receive an offer letter with status “SELECTED” from the Hajj Fund Institute (LTH) to carry out the Hajj pilgrimage in the current year.
• This facility is only permitted just once lifetime. Members who have made Hajj withdrawals before 2026 are not eligible to apply for additional amounts under this new limit.
• Requirements for confirmation of the minimum balance on the Tabung Haji savings account are in place abolished starting January 2026 to facilitate member application and planning matters.

Application Method: Members must come to the nearest EPF office with MyKad and original offer letter from LTH. The application process is now simpler where members only need to submit a thumbprint without having to fill out a complicated physical form.

Refund: If a member cancels or postpones the Hajj after the money has been disbursed, then all funds must be returned to the EPF account.

2. Introduction of i-Saraan Plus (Gig Economy)

The i-Saraan Plus initiative introduced from January 1, 2026 is a specific improvement to the existing i-Saraan scheme.

It is specifically designed to strengthen the social safety of e-hailing and p-hailing drivers.

Under this scheme, eligible members will receive a government incentive of 20% of the year’s total voluntary contribution, with a maximum limit of up to RM600 per year.

This amount is higher than i-Saraan’s normal tariff (maximum RM500 per year). Additionally, there is a lifetime incentive limit of RM6,000 or until the member reaches the age of 60.

Eligibility Conditions for i-Saraan Plus:

• Open only to Malaysian citizens.
• Members must be under 60 years of age.
• Especially for individuals who work as e-hailing or p-hailing drivers (delivering food/goods).
• Members must be registered in the i-Saraan scheme first.
• Contributions must be made through service providers (platforms) under the e-hailing or p-hailing sector to be eligible for the appropriate incentives.

To get the full incentive of RM600 per year, members must contribute at least RM3,000 in a year under the i-Saraan Plus scheme.

3. Increase the i-Suri Age Limit

Starting January 2026, the age limit for eligibility to receive matching government incentives under this program has been extended from 55 years to 60 years.

This change allows registered housewives to continue contributing and enjoying additional government contributions for five more years, thereby helping to build stronger retirement savings in their Retirement Accounts.

Eligibility Requirements:

• Malaysian citizen
• Under 60 years old
• Make minimum contribution to EPF account (at least RM5 per month or RM60 per year)
• Consists of individuals registered in the eKasih System as Head of Household (KIR) or Wife of Head of Household (KIR) in the category of poor or extreme poor.

Through this age extension, the EPF’s aim is to reduce the protection gap between the sexes and ensure that housewives are not excluded from the national social safety net even after crossing the age of 55 years.

4. Retirement Income Adequacy (RIA) Framework

• New savings benchmarks introduced: RM390,000 (Wings), RM650,000 (Enough)And RM1.3 million (Enhanced).
• Objective: Provide clearer guidance to members regarding the amount of savings needed to meet their living needs after retirement.

5. Voluntary Donation Branding (i-Save & i-Topup)

• Voluntary contributions are facilitated by name he-Shimpan (self-selected contribution) and i-Topup (contributions exceed the statutory rate of 11%).
• Objective: Cultivate the habit of consistently adding to your savings through a more user-friendly system.

The main purpose

The main objective of implementing the EPF’s new initiatives for 2026 is to improve the future welfare of members through the following three main focuses:

• Strengthen Retirement: Aims to ensure members’ retirement savings are more sufficient for the future.
• Expand Coverage: Protecting more individuals through a more inclusive social security network.
• Improve Experience: Facilitate all matters and interactions between members and EPF.

Initiative Focus

This initiative is focused on three important aspects for each member:

• Financial Resilience: Providing solid support for members’ long-term savings.
• Member Health: Meeting members’ needs that continue to change according to the current situation.
• Meaningful Retirement: Ensure a good and comfortable quality of life after members stop working.

This initiative is based on the announcement of the 2026 APBN which was made on October 10 2025.

Further information

For updates and further information regarding EPF’s latest initiatives, please refer to the official EPF portal at the following link:

EPF New Initiatives FAQ