The urgent need for daily expenses has driven many Employees' Provident Fund (EPF) members to start queuing as early as 7am at EPF offices nationwide to withdraw money through the newly introduced Account 3 (Akaun Fleksibel).

According to Kosmo!, many members prefer in-person transactions over online ones to avoid long wait times for fund transfers from Akaun Sejahtera to Akaun Fleksibel.

Norlina Abd Rahim, a 44-year-old factory operator in George Town, Penang, praised the government's provision of Akaun Fleksibel, describing it as critical support during a period of rising living costs. "I thought I would be among the first to arrive before the counter opened, but there were already a lot of people lined up. I wanted to withdraw more than RM250 because I needed to deal with an emergency. We have no other options, and this is the last chance to withdraw money from our EPF contributions," she told Kosmo! after arriving at the EPF office in Bayan Baru at 7am.

Meanwhile, in Sungai Petani, Kedah, Shahriza Shamsuddin, 38, described Akaun Fleksibel as a lifesaver for her family. Shahriza, a consistent EPF contributor for the past 20 years, had been eagerly awaiting the opportunity to withdraw funds for her family's use. "With the rising cost of goods and the uncertain economy, at least the EPF money can help us cover our basic needs. I want to transfer the money to Akaun Fleksibel to facilitate future withdrawals," she said.

Siti Asiah Muda, 35, an EPF member from Johor Bahru, emphasized the practicality of the RM250 daily withdrawal limit. "Honestly, RM250 per day is adequate as an emergency fund for situations such as a sick child or a broken-down vehicle. With the rising cost of living, the money withdrawn can be used for household expenses," she said.