However, the retirement fund is against this, reiterating that EPF savings should be used to finance a member’s post-retirement needs, the retirement fund has reiterated.

The Star reported EPF as saying that pre-retirement withdrawal facilities were introduced to cover basic needs such as buying a house, paying for medical costs and for education.

The computer purchase withdrawal scheme introduced in 2001 was discontinued the following year due to cases of abuse.

But recently, Deputy Finance Minister Lee Chee Leong said a proposal to resume EPF withdrawals for computer purchases under Account Two would be discussed by the ministry, a move backed by several computer retail outlets.

SNS Network PJ Solutions showroom manager Soh Yow Ting told The Star computers “are a good investment”.

“It is a good idea. If people say computers are cheap, maybe they can use their savings to buy.

“If they withdraw from their EPF savings, it is the same. A computer is always a good investment,” Soh told the Star.