SEBERANG JAYA: Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng has told former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak not to question the professionalism of the Employees Provident Fund (EPF), following its dividend announcement recently.
He pointed out that EPF chief executive officer (CEO) Tunku Alizakri Raja Muhammad Alias, had also served during Najib’s tenure as prime minister.
“I would like to thank Najib for admitting that this is a good announcement,” Guan Eng said at the Penang Royal Customs Department Chinese New Year celebration, here, today.
“If he is unhappy (about the dividend announcement) he may apply to become the CEO.”
Yesterday, EPF had declared a dividend rate of 6.15 per cent for conventional savings for 2018, with a payout amounting to RM43 billion, and 5.9 per cent for shariah savings for 2018, with a payout amounting to RM4.32 billion.
In total, the payout for 2018 amounts to RM47.31 billion, a marginal decrease of 1.7 per cent from 2017.
In a posting on his Facebook page, Najib had raised concern that EPF would no longer recognise any impairment on its equity holders even though the stock market and EPF holdings in equity went through a massive devaluation last year.
Najib said that if the devaluation was taken into account, the dividend should not be as high as 6.15 per cent.
Lim said experts on the economy had doubted that the dividend would reach five per cent due to the current global economic climate.
“It shows that it has done well.
“Our economy could also prosper well this year compared to last year and all the good signs are there,” he added.