List of New EPF Initiatives 2026 From January

The EPF has announced several new EPF 2026 initiatives that aim to strengthen retirement savings and adjust members’ social protection to the current cost of living. Visit the EPF official portal to find out the latest announcements and changes made by the EPF at

These changes will come into effect in January 2026. See full info below.

What is EPF?

EPF, the Employees’ Provident Fund or EPF is a government agency under the Ministry of Finance that is responsible for managing retirement plans for private sector workers and non-pensionable public workers.

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

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

From January 2026, the Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF) has implemented several significant policy improvements to adjust members’ savings to the current economic reality.

List of New Initiatives EPF 2026

Here is a list of EPF’s new initiatives for 2026 that have been updated to strengthen members’ social security:

1. Increased EPF Withdrawal Limit for Hajj

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

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

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

Eligibility Requirements:

• Members must be Malaysian citizens who are Muslims and under the age of 10 55 years old.
• Members must accept an offer letter with status “CHOSEN” from the Hajj Fund Board (LTH) to perform Hajj in the current year.
• This facility is only permitted just once a lifetime. Members who have made Hajj withdrawals before 2026 are not eligible to apply for additional amounts under this new limit.
• The conditions for confirming the minimum balance in the Tabung Haji savings account have been abolished from January 2026 to facilitate member application and planning matters.

Application Method: Members need to attend the nearest EPF office with their MyKad and the original offer letter from LTH. The application process is now simpler where members only need to lower their thumbprint without having to fill out complicated physical forms.

Refunds: If the member cancels or postpones the Hajj after the money has been released, the full amount must be returned to the EPF account.

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

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

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

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

This amount is higher than the normal i-Saraan rate (maximum RM500 per year). In addition, 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 to Malaysian citizens only.
• Members must be under 60 years of age.
• Specifically for individuals who work as e-hailing or p-hailing (food/goods delivery) drivers.
• Members need to be registered under the i-Saraan scheme first.
• Contributions must be made through a service provider (platform) under the e-hailing or p-hailing sector to qualify for the matching incentive.

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

3. Increasing the Age Limit of i-Suri

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

These changes allow registered housewives to continue to contribute and enjoy additional contributions from the government for five years longer, thus helping to build stronger old age savings in their Retirement Accounts.

Eligibility Requirements:

• Malaysian citizens
• Aged under 60 years
• Make a minimum contribution to the 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 goal is to reduce the protection gap between the sexes and ensure that housewives are not excluded from the national social safety net even after passing the age of 55.

4. Retirement Income Adequacy Framework (RIA)

• New savings benchmarks introduced: RM390,000 (Wings), RM650,000 (Sufficient)And RM1.3 million (Enhanced).
• Objective: Provide clearer guidance to members on the amount of savings required for subsistence after retirement.

5. Branding of Voluntary Contributions (i-Save & i-Topup)

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

Main Goal

The main goal of the implementation of EPF’s new initiative for the year 2026 is to improve the future well-being of members through the following three main focuses:

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

Initiative Focus

These initiatives are focused on three important aspects for each member:

• Financial Resilience: Provide solid support to members’ long-term savings.
• Member Wellness: Meet the needs of members that are constantly changing according to the current situation.
• Meaningful Retirement: Ensuring a good and comfortable quality of life after members stop working.

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

More Information

For the latest info and more information on the latest EPF initiatives, please refer to the EPF official portal at the following link:

EPF New Initiative FAQ