In a heartbreaking story, a 50-year-old man who has been bedridden for 6 years due to a damaged spinal disc took to Facebook to plea for access to medical funds from the Employee Provident Fund (EPF).
In an interview with Sin Chew Daily, the man revealed that he had to sell his late mother’s gold chain and pendant to make ends meet. He said that he had struggled, so his financial resources dwindled, and his health began showing signs of improvement.
As he still had savings in his EPF account, he wanted to apply for access to the funds because he lost his ability to work due to his debilitating medical condition.
“I have meticulously prepared all the required documents, and I am undoubtedly a genuine patient who has lost the ability to work precisely the type of person who should qualify for approval. However, when I submitted my application, I encountered officials who seemingly went out of their way to obstruct me, and, as I had anticipated, my application was eventually denied,” he shared.
He went on to appeal the initial rejection and an EPF representative promised to process his case, however, he said that her tone left him questioning her sincerity.
“A month later, I decided to call the EPF hotline to check on the status of my application. The operator informed me that my application was still under review. I suspect that my documents and hospital reports might have been inadvertently shelved with the lady I had spoken to earlier.”
“For the past six years, I have been confined to my bed, unable to work. Isn’t that a crystal-clear demonstration of my incapacity?” he questioned.
On August 30th, he stated that he had called the branch again for an update, and the official simply instructed him to continue waiting.
He said that he had already sold all the items he could, and eventually, he even sold the gold chain and pendant left to him by his mother, which he was reluctant to part with.
Meanwhile, according to an EPF official, they emphasised that their decisions were based on assessments by designated doctors. They highlighted how they evaluate applicants based on reports from 2 to 3 designated doctors rather than relying solely on one doctor’s assessment.
“If one doctor indicates that he is incapable of working, but the other two doctors disagree, the application will not be approved,” the official explained.
We hope that he eventually makes it out of the difficult situation he is in.
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