CENTRAL PROVIDENT FUND (Statistics)

[Mr SPEAKER in the Chair]

Mr David Marshall asked the Minister for Labour (a) what was the number of applications in 1961 from employees for withdrawals of monies to their credit in the Central Provident Fund; (b) the number of such applications from persons who were unemployed for more than 6 months and were over the age of 40; and (c) the number of such applications from unemployed persons aged over 40 which have been acceded to by the Central Provident Fund Board.

Inche Ahmad Bin Ibrahim: Mr Speaker, Sir, the answer to (a) is: there were 6,557 formal applications made in 1961 by employees to withdraw their monies standing to their credit in the Central Provident Fund.

As regards (b), persons who are unemployed are normally not eligible to withdraw their contributions to the Central Provident Fund unless exceptionally they satisfy the conditions set out in paragraph (f) of the definition "date of withdrawal" in section 2 of the Central Provident Fund Ordinance which reads as follows:

'"date of withdrawal" means the day... on which any member of the Fund:-

(f) is in the opinion of the Board not likely to

be employed in a contributor's employment

again after having ceased to he an employee

for a period of not less than two years;'.

The number of applications from persons who are unemployed for more than six months and over the age of 40 is not ascertainable from the Board's records.

As regards (c), here again, Mr Speaker, no figures are available of persons who are unemployed and over the age of 40 and who have had their applications acceded to by the Central Provident Fund Board. However, some 837 persons have been allowed to withdraw their contributions under paragraph (f) of the definition of "date of withdrawal" found in section 2 of the Central Provident Fund Ordinance. Of these persons, 229 are married women engaged in household duties, 411 had left to reside and work in the Federation of Malaya, and the remaining 197 were mostly members who have become substantially self-employed or who are out of work and seem unlikely for reasons of health or otherwise to enter further employment.

Mr David Marshall (Anson): I am obliged to the Minister for the information he has given, Mr Speaker. But recognising the principle that the Provident Fund is to assist persons on a rainy day, does he not recognise that many of these 6,000 applications which have been rejected are from persons in dire need -

Mr Speaker: Order. I think the hon. Member is embarking on an expression of opinion and inviting a debate. Is there a supplementary question?

Mr David Marshall: If it please you, Mr Speaker, would the Minister consider introducing an amendment to the Central Provident Fund Ordinance in order to the Provident Fund Board to allow applications for withdrawals in circumstances which are meritorious?

Inche Ahmad Bin Ibrahim: Mr Speaker, Sir, if I remember correctly, the Member for Anson in this House raised this question once before, and I made it quite clear that the objects of this Fund are such that I am afraid my answer at the moment to his supplementary question asking me to consider an amendment is "no".