Employees Provident Fund Act 1991 (Act 452)
Date of Royal Assent: 28 March 1991
Date of publication in the Gazette: 11 April 1991
Latest Amendment (Act A1760): Published in the Gazette 14 May 2025
Source: AGC - Act 452
Enforcer: Employees Provident Fund (EPF) Malaysia
An Act to provide for the law relating to a scheme of savings for employees’ retirement and the management of the savings for the retirement purposes and for matters incidental thereto.
PART I - PRELIMINARY
Section 1. Short title and commencement
Section 2. Interpretation
PART II - THE BOARD AND THE INVESTMENT PANEL
Section 3. Establishment of the Board
Section 4. Membership of the Board
Section 5. Alternate members
Section 6. Tenure of office
Section 7. Resignation and revocation
Section 8. Vacation of office
Section 9. Quorum of the Board
Section 10. Chairman to have casting vote
Section 11. Power of Minister to give directions
Section 12. Duty to furnish the Minister with information
Section 13. Authentication of seal
Section 14. Powers and duties of the Board
Section 15. General reserve and other reserve accounts
Section 16. Board may establish any committee
Section 17. Power to grant loans and make advances to its officers and servants
Section 18. Establishment and membership of the Investment Panel
Section 19. Vacation of office
Section 20. Quorum and conduct of proceedings
Section 21. The Chairman of the Investment Panel to have casting vote
Section 22. Disqualification from membership of the Board and the Investment Panel
Section 23. Disclosure of interest
Section 23A. Establishment of Shariah Advisory Committee
Section 23B. Functions of Shariah Advisory Committee
Section 23C. Appointment of members of Shariah Advisory Committee
Section 23D. Reference to Shariah Advisory Committee
PART III - THE FUND
Section 24. Establishment of Employees Provident Fund
Section 25. Board shall be trustee of the Fund
Section 26. Power of the Board to invest
The Companies Act 1965 [Act 125] has been repealed by the Companies Act 2016 [Act 777] which comes into operation on 31 January 2017 — see subsection 620(1) of Act 777.
Section 26A. Power of the Board to invest in an approved company
The Companies Act 1965 [Act 125] has been repealed by the Companies Act 2016 [Act 777] which comes into operation on 31 January 2017 — see subsection 620(1) of Act 777.
Section 26B. Board to invest in Government Securities
Section 26C. Power of the Board to establish a corporation or a company
The Companies Act 1965 [Act 125] has been repealed by the Companies Act 2016 [Act 777] which comes into operation on 31 January 2017 — see subsection 620(1) of Act 777.
Section 27. Declaration of dividend
Section 28. Provision for advancement from the Federal Consolidated Fund
Section 29. Audit of the Fund’s annual accounts
PART IIIA - INVESTMENT BY MEMBER OF THE FUND
Section 29A. Investment by member of the Fund
PART IV - APPOINTMENT OF OFFICERS AND SERVANTS, THEIR POWERS, FUNCTIONS AND DUTIES
Section 30. Appointment of the chief executive officer, officers and servants of the Board
Section 31. Establishment of the Disciplinary Committee
Section 31A. Establishment of the Disciplinary Appeal Committee
Section 32. Imposition of surcharge
Section 33. Establishment of a Promotion Committee in respect of officers and servants of the Board
Section 33A. Establishment of the Promotion Appeal Committee in respect of officers and servants of the Board
Section 34. Appointment of Inspectors, their powers, functions and duties
Section 35. Powers of entry, examination and search
Section 36. Obstruction to exercise of powers by an Inspector
Section 37. Power to examine persons
Section 37A. Power of the Board to assess contributions based on information available
Section 38. Powers of chief executive officer to ask for information and application for search warrant
Section 39. Preventing person from leaving Malaysia without paying contributions
PART V - CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE EMPLOYEES PROVIDENT FUND
Section 40. (Deleted by Act A1300).
Section 41. Duty of employer to register with the Board
Section 42. Duty of employer to prepare and furnish statement of wages
Section 43. Rate of contributions
Section 43A. Election for account of member of the Fund to be managed according to Shariah
Section 44. Remittance of funds in connection with retirement
Section 44A. Adding up credit into the account of a member of the Fund
Section 45. Payment of contributions
Section 46. Joint and several liability of directors, etc.
Section 47. Employer’s contribution irrecoverable from employee
Section 48. Recovery by employer of employee’s contribution
Section 49. Late payment charges on contributions in arrears
Section 50. Contributions to be paid into the Fund
Section 51. Contributions and deposits not to be assigned or attached
*Previously known as the “Official Assignee”—see section 17 of the Bankruptcy (Amendment) Act 2003 [Act A1197].
**Previously known as the Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorism Financing Act 2001. Change in short title vide section 3 of the Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorism Financing (Amendment) Act 2014 [Act A1467] w.e.f. 1 September 2014― see P.U. (B) 400/2014.
Section 51A. Transfer to the Registrar of Unclaimed Money
Section 52. Approved funds
The Companies Act 1965 [Act 125] has been repealed by the Companies Act 2016 [Act 777] which comes into operation on 31 January 2017 — see subsection 620(1) of Act 777.
Section 53. Winding up of approved fund
PART VA - TRANSFER OF CREDIT IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE DIVISION OF MATRIMONIAL ASSETS ORDER
Section 53A. Transfer of credit of a member of the Fund in accordance with the division of matrimonial assets order
Section 53B. Withdrawal of the transferred amount
PART VB - ELECTION BY MEMBER OF THE FUND TO TRANSFER HIS CONTRIBUTIONS
Section 53C. Transfer of employee’s contributions
Section 53D. Election by member of the Fund to transfer his contributions
Section 53E. Cessation of transfer of contributions
Section 53F. Re-transfer of contributions
PART VI - WITHDRAWAL OF CONTRIBUTIONS
Section 54. Withdrawal from the Fund
Section 54A. Payment of dividend in such manner as determined by the Board
Section 54B. Date of withdrawal
Section 54C. Withdrawal by pensionable employees
Section 55. (Deleted by Act A1300).
Section 55A. Withdrawal from the Fund for a member of the Fund who has attained the age of fifty-five years
Section 55B. Contribution to and withdrawal from the Fund for a member of the Fund who has attained the age of sixty years
Section 56. Release of employer’s contributions
Section 57. Payment for withdrawal
Section 57A. Limitation for a member of the Fund to dispute the accuracy of amount withdrawn or the validity of a withdrawal made
Section 58. Payment of additional amount
Section 58A. Amount withdrawn not to be utilized for other purpose
PART VIA - TAKING UP OF INSURANCE POLICY BY MEMBER OF THE FUND
Section 58B. Taking up of insurance policy
PART VII - OFFENCES AND PROCEEDINGS
Section 59. Incorrect declaration, failure to furnish return or furnishing false documents
Section 59A. Court order
Section 60. General penalty
Section 61. Attempts, preparations, abetments and conspiracies punishable as offences
Section 62. One trial for any number of offences
Section 63. Court order
Section 64. Certificate of authorized officer of the Board to be evidence
The Subordinate Courts Rules 1980 [P.U. (A) 328/1980] has since been repealed by the Rules of Courts 2012 [P.U. (A) 205/2012] which comes into operation on 1 August 2012.
Section 65. Civil proceedings to recover contributions
Section 66. Protection of contributions in execution proceeding or sale under security
Section 67. Conduct of civil proceedings
Section 68. (Deleted by Act A1080).
Section 69. Offences by body corporate
Section 69A. Public Authorities Protection Act 1948
Section 70. Members of the Board, Investment Panel and officers deemed as public servants
PART VIIA - EMPLOYEE WHO IS NOT A MALAYSIAN CITIZEN
Section 70A. Application
Section 70B. (Deleted by Act A1190).
Section 70C. Withdrawal from the Fund
Section 70D. Nomination
Section 70E. Other provisions continue to apply
Section 70F. Credit return
Section 70G. Cessation of liability to contribute
Section 70H. Cessation of dividend payments and transfer to Registrar of Unclaimed Money
PART VIII - POWER TO MAKE REGULATIONS AND RULES
Section 71. Powers of Minister to make regulations
Section 72. Powers of Minister to require other person to contribute and declare any payment or remuneration as wages
Section 73. Powers of the Board to make rules
Section 74. Powers of Minister to amend the Schedules
PART IX - REPEAL AND TRANSITIONAL PROVISIONS
Section 75. Repeal of the Employees Provident Fund Act 1951
Section 76. Continuance of laws, etc.
Section 77. Transfer of powers, rights, liabilities and duties
Section 78. Transfer of property
Section 79. Existing contracts
Section 80. Continuance of criminal and civil proceedings
Section 81. Transfer of Fund
Section 82. Continuance of officers and servants
Section 83. Pending disciplinary proceedings
Section 84. Transfer of member of the Fund
Section 85. Transfer of registration of employers
Section 86. Prevention of anomalies
SCHEDULES
FIRST SCHEDULE [Section 2] - PERSONS WHO ARE NOT EMPLOYEES
SECOND SCHEDULE [Section 2] - DEFINITION OF “EMPLOYER”
THIRD SCHEDULE [Sections 43 and 44A] - RATE OF MONTHLY CONTRIBUTIONS
PART A
Where the employer pays bonus to an employee who receives monthly wages of RM5,000.00 and below, and upon receiving the said bonus renders the wages received for that month to exceed RM5,000.00, the employer’s contribution shall be calculated at the rate of 13% of the amount of wages for the month. The total contribution which includes cents shall be rounded to the next ringgit.
PART B - (Deleted by Act A1760)
PART C
Where the employer pays bonus to an employee who receives monthly wages of RM5,000.00 and below, and upon receiving the said bonus renders the wages received for that month to exceed RM5,000.00, the employer’s contribution shall be calculated at the rate of 6.5% of the amount of wages for the month. The total contribution which includes cents shall be rounded to the next ringgit.
PART D - (Deleted by Act A1760)
PART E
PART F
FOURTH SCHEDULE (Deleted by Act A914).
FIFTH SCHEDULE [Subsection 58(1)] - ADDITIONAL AMOUNT PAYABLE WHERE WITHDRAWAL IS MADE UNDER PARAGRAPH 54(1)(a)
SIXTH SCHEDULE [Subsection 58(2)] - ADDITIONAL AMOUNT PAYABLE WHERE WITHDRAWAL IS MADE UNDER PARAGRAPH 54(1)(c)
SEVENTH SCHEDULE [Section 26C] - THE PROVISIONS APPLICABLE TO A CORPORATION ESTABLISHED BY THE BOARD
1. Duty of the Board to make regulations in respect of a corporation
2. Scope of corporation
3. Binding effect of such regulations
4. Register of corporation
5. Winding up
6. Legal character of a corporation
7. Common seal of a corporation
EIGHTH SCHEDULE [Sections 53D and 53E] - ELECTION BY A MEMBER OF THE FUND TO TRANSFER HIS CONTRIBUTIONS
11% of rate of contributions which is amended by the Employees Provident Fund (Amendment of Eighth Schedule) Order 2022 [P.U. (A) 219/2022] comes into operation on 1 July 2022.