KUALA LUMPUR, November 20- 144,589 members of the Employees' Provident Fund (EPF) have taken advantage of the Akaun Sejahtera savings withdrawal facility to purchase life protection insurance and critical illness insurance under the i-Lindung Programme, since it was introduced in July 2022 up to September 2024.

Deputy Minister of Finance, Lim Hui Ying said it involved a total withdrawal of RM44.2 million.

"Beginning February 2024, the EPF has improved Phase 2 i-Linding under the Member Protection Plan.

"EPF members can use the savings in the Akaun Sejahtera to buy conventional insurance products and takaful for life protection and critical illness insurance for their immediate family members," she said when answering a question from Miri MP Chiew Choon Man in the Dewan Rakyat.

Lim also welcomed Chiew's suggestion that the EPF empower the i-Lindung programme through subsidies and negotiations with insurance companies so that medical coverage can be offered up to the age of 99 at a reasonable rate.

According to her, the government is always committed to empowering and improving the i-Lindung programme.

The programme is a self-service platform through i-Akaun (Member) that facilitates the process of purchasing protection products under the Member Protection Plan (PPA).

Through PPA, members can purchase insurance and takaful products from insurance companies and takaful operators (SIT) that are approved by EPF, for themselves and immediate family members for the short-term (1 year) and long-term covering periods up to 75 years.