Thursday, March 26, 2009

ST Online: Don't break CPF piggy bank, but...

Editor
Straits Times

I REFER to the Ministry of Manpower's response last Saturday to readers' calls for earlier Central Provident Fund (CPF) withdrawal.

The response that it is not a good idea as breaking the piggy bank would lead to temptation to draw more and more from the CPF does not address the main point raised by readers.

What they ask for is not to break the piggy bank. But for members who already have funds above the Minimum Sum, why can't the CPF Board release the excess funds to those who are now struggling to live?

Why hold on to excess funds and make them wait till they reach 55, when they and their families are struggling now?

With the pain and stress these individuals and their families are going through, will they even make it to 80?

Tun Ah Heng