The Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF) is making an exception in handling Gan Kim Poh’s application for medical fund.

Due to the special conditions faced by Gan, EPF is allowing Gan to request a medical report from doctor to file afresh.

The EPF is also considerate in letting Gan file afresh without having to wait for six months, said Lim Zhen Han, aide to Deputy Finance Minister II Steven Sim.

Lim visited Gan on behalf of Sim on Wednesday after his plight of not being able to access EPF fund was posted on Facebook.

Gan, 50, has been bedridden for six years due to a damaged spinal disc. He has visited seven hospitals in the last six years but none of the medical reports was able to prove that his ailment resulted in him losing the capability to work, Lim said.

As a result, Gan’s application to EPF has been rejected.

Lim felt sorry that Gan’s application for the past six years failed, and promised to help him explore ways for financial assistance.

It was reported that Gan applied to EPF to have access to the fund for medical treatment after exhausting his funds – owing friends and relatives more than RM90,000 and was forced to sell his late mother’s cherished gold chains and pendants to make ends meet.

Lim said statistics showed that EPF received at least 10,185 applications to withdraw from Account I funds since January 2022. 60% of the applications have been successful and 26% rejected. The other 14% are still being reviewed.

“EPF’s medical panel is made up of a team of experienced doctors who will vet through each application thoroughly.

“Those who comply with the criteria will be allowed to withdraw from their accounts,” Lim said.

He also said Sim had agreed to cover Gan’s medical expenses to reduce his financial burden so that he could focus on treatment at this moment.