KUALA LUMPUR (Aug 15): Registration for Caruman Sukarela Insentif Suri (i-Suri), an Employees Provident Fund (EPF) scheme for Malaysian housewives, opens today, and those who are eligible may participate in i-Suri by registering as an EPF member at any of the 67 EPF branches nationwide.

In a statement today, EPF deputy chief executive officer (operations) Datuk Mohd Naim Daruwish said housewives, widows and single mothers, whose profiles are enlisted in the national database on poverty (eKasih), can register for i-Suri and contribute a minimum of RM5 on a monthly basis into their retirement savings accounts, in order to be eligible to receive the government incentive of RM40 per month, which will be deposited into their EPF accounts.

Eligible individuals, who sign up for i-Suri, will be able to enjoy the same benefits as EPF members, such as annual dividends on their retirement savings, Age 50, 55 and 60 Withdrawal, Incapacitation Benefit and Death Benefit. This is in addition to the government’s RM40 incentive.

The registration drive of i-Suri follows the launch of the Suri Housewives Incentive by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Women, Family and Community Development Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail last week.

According to statistics from eKasih, there are a total of 221,890 housewives, 98,536 widows and 28,116 divorcees from the hardcore poor segment of the society who will be eligible to enjoy the government incentive by participating in i-Suri.