A taxi driver has set a new record for walkathon participants after he walked more than 300km from Johor to Istana Negara to send a memorandum asking for another round of Employees Provident Fund (EPF) withdrawals.
According to NST, the man named Norazlan Ismail began his journey from Skudai on Mar 28 and reached the palace at 11.15am yesterday (Mar 3), bringing an end to a six-day journey spanning 312km.
Walked to request EPF withdrawal
Speaking to reporters outside the palace, Noorazlan said he started his journey during Ramadan in a bid to urge the government to pay heed to those who were struggling financially like him, saying that EPF withdrawals were “a way to settle our debts”.
He also expressed gratefulness to those who had supported him and offered him money and a ride to his destination, which he refused.
If I hitch a ride, I might as well just take the bus. I want our leaders to see this, and thankfully, I finally got here and even received a souvenir from Tuanku (Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah), which means that although we haven’t met, the King knows I’m here.
Norazlan also told Malaysiakini that he was doing it for his family and children after he lost his job due to the Covid-19 pandemic and became a taxi driver to make ends meet.
He added that he was bogged down by debts and soaring living costs, which he believes can be solved with another EPF withdrawal.
Earns support from MP and NGOs
Norazlan’s unusual method to request for an EPF withdrawal has since attracted the attention of Tasek Gelugor MP Wan Saiful Wan Jan and three NGOs, who have pledged support for his cause.
Wan Saiful told the English daily that he had also been planning to submit a memorandum regarding the EPF since last month.
“Three NGOs, Pertubuhan Gagasan Inovasi Rakyat, Muslim Consumer Association of Malaysia (MCAM), and Global Human Rights Federation (GHRF), approached me about a month ago seeking help to forward the memorandum,” he said.
During the unveiling of Budget 2023, prime minister Anwar Ibrahim stood firm on his stance not to allow additional EPF withdrawals, much to the disappointment of Malaysians:
