In order to facilitate senior citizens to withdraw the funds allocated by the government, on 1^st August this year, the Social Security Fund (abbreviated to FSS in Macao) will introduce a new measure － “Registration for Automatic Withdrawal of Funds for the Non-Mandatory Central Provident Fund System Special Allocation from Budget Surplus” (hereinafter referred to as “Automatic Withdrawal of Funds”).  Account owners who are at least 65 years of age and are currently receiving old-age or disability pension from the FSS can register for automatic withdrawal of funds at the same time they apply for fund withdrawal.  Starting from the year that immediately follows the year of registration, as long as there is fund allocation in the year concerned and the account owner also meets the relevant requirements, the funds of the year and all the income will be automatically deposited into the bank account where the account owner receives old-age or disability pension.  The senior citizen does not need to apply for fund withdrawal every year.

The FSS held a press conference today (25^th July) to announce the arrangements for fund withdrawal application for special allocation from this year’s budget surplus, and introduced to the public a new measure － “Registration for Automatic Withdrawal of Funds”.  This year, there are about 67,000 account owners eligible for fund withdrawal.  The FSS will continue to implement a two-stage diversion measure.  In August, priority will be given to senior citizens aged 75 or older, individuals receiving disability pension from the FSS for more than one year and those currently receiving special disability subsidy from the Social Welfare Bureau (abbreviated to SWB) to submit their applications, and senior citizens aged between 65 and 74 can submit their applications starting September in order to reduce the waiting time for senior citizens to go through the relevant formalities.

This year, the FSS will launch a new measure － “Registration for Automatic Withdrawal of Funds”.  Once the automatic withdrawal of funds is registered, the service will remain valid.  Any account owner who is at least 65 years old and is currently receiving old-age or disability pension can register for automatic withdrawal of funds at the same time he/she applies for fund withdrawal starting August.  After successful registration, starting from the year that immediately follows, as long as there is fund allocation in the year concerned and the account owner also meets all the requirements below, the FSS will automatically deposit, in late August, the special allocation from the year’s budget surplus and all the income into the bank account where the account owner receives old-age or disability pension. 

1. The person must be included in the list of special allocation from budget surplus announced in mid-June of the year concerned
2. The person must have provided the proof of life for the year on or before 30^th June of the year concerned
3. The person has not applied for withdrawal of funds from his/her individual account of the non-mandatory central provident fund system between 1^st January and 30^th June of the year concerned.

The application for fund withdrawal and registration for automatic withdrawal of funds can be done at self-service machines set up at all districts of Macao, or the completed form can be submitted to the following locations:

1. Temporary office of the FSS at Tap Seac;
2. Macao Government Services Centre at Areia Preta;
3. Macao Government Services Centre in Islands;
4. Six Public Services Centres under Municipal Affairs Bureau:

-       Northern District Public Services Centre (Toi San Station)
-       Northern District Public Services Centre  (Fai Chi Kei Station)
-       Central District Public Services Centre
-       Central District Public Services Centre (S. Lourenço Station)
-       Islands District Public Services Centre
-       Islands District Public Services Centre (Seac Pai Van Station)

5.  Three Social Service Centres under the SWB (From now until 30^th September)

-       Northern District (Tamagnini Barbosa) Social Service Centre
-       Northwest District (Ilha Verde) Social Service Centre
-       Central and Southern District (Patane) Social Service Centre

6.  Ha Wan Baptist Church Social Service Centre (From now until 30^th September) 

The FSS calls on the senior citizens to provide their mobile phone numbers at the time they apply for fund withdrawal and register for automatic withdrawal of funds, for receiving the outcome of their applications through mobile text messages (SMS).

Representatives of the FSS attending the press conference were Ieong Iun Lai, Head of Department of Central Provident Fund System, Ho Hoi Sang, Head of Division of General Affairs of Provident Fund System and Leong Iok Mei, Technician in the same division.