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As Acting Finance Minister, Abdullah should issue written directive to EPF to set up  an independent inquiry to conduct “thorough investigation” into fraudulent withdrawals of EPF funds as well as to review its proposal to declare lowest dividend in 40 years Media Statement by Lim Kit Siang (Petaling Jaya,  Tuesday): Yesterday, the 10.5 million Employees Provident Fund (EPF) contributors felt slightly at ease when they read the front-page headlines of the local media on the “directive” by the Acting Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to EPF to investigate thoroughly the fraudulent withdrawal of millions of ringgit in unclaimed money from the fund.  Abdullah declared that there should be no compromise in bringing the culprits to book and that the investigation should also identify procedural weaknesses that could give rise to fraud.  He rightly  cautioned that the credibility and image of the EPF could be tarnished if it was seen as unable to protect contributors’ money.  Abdullah issued the directive to EPF when asked to  comment on the latest EPF  scam involving EPF beneficiary warrants, which came to light on Feb 17 when a 25-year-old Indonesian woman, using a tampered identity card, attempted to withdraw RM150,000 from a bank branch in Sungai Buloh. What was initially believed to have been an attempt to cheat the bank led police to the EPF when investigators learnt that it was part of a larger EPF scam, resulting in police focusing on seven EPF employees as investigations draw to a close – and which was  described by the police  as "the tip of the iceberg".  The 10.5 million EPF contributors’ hopes and expectations that their over RM200 billion EPF  monies are in safe hands, and that  there would be a thorough investigation and major revamp of the EPF management to protect their life savings,  were dashed today  when they read the response of the EPF chairman, Tan Sri Halim Ali in this morning’s press.  Speaking to reporters yesterday after the official opening of Parliament by the Yang di Pertuan Agong, Halim conveyed no sense of gravity of the latest EPF scam which had  led Abdullah to direct “thorough investigation” into the latest  EPF fraud nor any indication that EPF  would conduct  any “thorough investigation” as directed by Abdullah.  Halim clearly did not share Abdullah’s concern that the latest EPF scam would affect EPF’s image and credibility, asserting the negative, saying: “If people choose to cheat, we cannot do anything about it. But we have always managed to nab the culprits. In earlier cases too, all those involved were caught.” Halim claimed that EPF “has  continuously made efforts to tighten procedural weaknesses that can give rise to fraud”  but admitted that it could not stop “dishonest people” from attempting malpractices. He added: “Improvements, however, are being made to our procedures all the time. We also have our check and balances, but sometimes our officers can become confused especially if documents that look like genuine ones are used in attempts make fraudulent withdrawals.” The EPF Chairman’s lukewarm response to Abdullah’s directive of “thorough probe” into the  latest EPF scam will  not inspire  confidence of the 10.5 million EPF contributors about EPF  competence and accountability in managing over RM200 billion EPF funds, especially with news reports that EPF will be declaring the lowest dividend in 40 years of below 5% for 2002.  As Abdullah’s “oral directive” to EPF to conduct “thorough investigations” into the fraudulent withdrawal of EPF monies have not been taken seriously, he should exercise his powers and responsibilities as Acting Finance Minister to send a written directive to the EPF Board to launch such a thorough investigation to protect EPF funds from fraudulent withdrawals, especially as there are some RM70 million unclaimed savings in the EPF.  Better still, Abdullah should direct the EPF Board to set up an independent inquiry whose composition would  not include members of the EPF Board or EPF employees to be responsible for such a “thorough investigation’.  In keeping with the principles of accountability and good governance, Abdullah should also direct the EPF to issue a full statement on the fraudulent withdrawal of EPF monies in the past five years, the amounts involved, the number of EPF employees implicated, and the outcome of court and/or disciplinary actions.  As Abdullah is also Acting Finance Minister, he should order a full review of the proposal to declare the lowest EPF dividend in 40 years, and demand a full explanation for instance as to why at the end of last year, the losses suffered by EPF from its RM50 billion investments in the local equities market were as high as RM10 billion. (11/3/2003) * Lim Kit Siang, DAP National Chairman