PETALING JAYA: A 50-year-old man who has been bedridden for six years due to a damaged spinal disc, is now requested to re-apply to Employees’ Provident Fund for medical funds.

Gan Kim Poh applied to the Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF) to gain access to the fund for medical treatment having exhausted his funds – owing friends and relatives more than RM90,000 and forced to sell his late mother’s cherished gold chains and pendants to make ends meet.

However, his application was rejected by the EPF.

To express his frustration, Gan posted on Facebook that EPF had rejected his application for access to his medical funds.

The FB post was picked up by Sin Chew Daily and several other online news portals.

Gan was subsequently contacted by an EPF officer on Wednesday.

He told Sin Chew Daily the EPF officer informed him to file a new application without having to wait for another six months.

“The officer told me I would have to wait for another six months to re-apply. But they agreed to let me re-apply now,” said Gan.

Although the EPF officer did not reveal the reason for the rejection of Gan’s application, he was told to get a comprehensive report from the doctor for his second application. The officer also asked for Gan’s e-mail address.

Gan’s plight also caught the attention of Deputy Finance Minister II Steven Sim, who sent his aide Lim Zheng Han to pay Gan a visit on Wednesday.

Lim said Sim would look for various avenues to help Gan.

A social security organization (Socso) officer also visited Gan through Lim’s arrangement.

It was reported that the EPF had since issued a statement that EPF members are eligible to withdraw their savings from EPF only if they meet the criteria of losing the ability to work due to illness.

EPF also expressed regret over the inconveniences caused due to the delay in Gan’s application.