It’s day six of the two week nationwide Movement Control Order but with the rate of Covid-19 outbreaks around the world on the rise, especially in North America, it does look like things are going to get worse before they get better.

That being said, Malaysian Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin has made the announcement that all Malaysians aged 55 and below are now allowed to make Employee Pension Fund (EPF) withdrawals of up to RM500 a month for the next 12 months starting 1 April 2020.

“This initiative worth RM40 billion in withdrawals is expected to benefit almost 12 million EPF users with application set to open up beginning April 1,” he said in a special press conference at the Prime Minister’s Office earlier today.

In addition to that, the Prime Minister also announced that the government will be channelling an additional RM600 million to the Ministry of Health (MOH) to aid their fight to contain Covid-19.

RM500 million of that going into the purchasing of additional equipment such as ventilators, Intensive Care Unit (ICU) equipment, Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for medical workers, as well as lab paraphernalia, to conduct Covid-19 testing. An additional RM100 million will go into the hiring of hiring of 2,000 contract staff in the medical field.