Most of CPF online services restored; board warns of fake website
The Central Provident Board said tonight that services dealing with more than 90 per cent of e-transactions on its website had been restored, about two weeks after technical problems first surfaced. Earlier, long queues were seen outside CPF service centres, including in Bishan (picture). Photo: Ernest Chua
SINGAPORE – Online services by the Central Provident Fund (CPF) Board catering to more than 90 per cent of e-transactions were restored tonight (Dec 15), after its website faced technical problems at the start of December and went offline in order for its IT vendor Microsoft to investigate the glitches.
Members may now access services such as changing their monthly housing payments, making voluntary contributions and updating their personal particulars, on top of checking account balances and transaction history, which were restored on Dec 3.
Services such as the registration of self-employed workers and adjustments to the monthly education loans have yet to be restored, but will be progressively made available.
The board’s chief executive officer Ng Chee Peng apologised for the inconvenience caused, and thanked the “very patient and understanding” CPF members “for bearing with us”, as well as CPF staff members who “have been doing their utmost to ensure that the needs of Singaporeans continue to be met”.
Customer service hours at CPF service centres will continue to be extended until Friday, with the issuing of queue tickets extended until 6pm. Call centres’ operating hours were extended until 7pm on weekdays.
CPF expects high traffic in the next few days and encourages its members to log in after 10pm for non-urgent enquiries to avoid potentially slow or intermittent access online.
Even as the board tackles this disruption, an email was sent to CPF members yesterday informing them of a fake duplicate of CPF’s corporate website.
“We are currently working to bring down this fake website,” the email read, calling for members to be cautious and use only the official website at www.cpf.gov.sg for all information and transactions.
CPF members who have not been able to use e-services were seen today at CPF service centres waiting in long queues.
At the Jurong and Bishan branches, they had to wait for two to three hours to be served while those at the Robinson Road branch waited for about 1.5 hours.
A 46-year-old teacher, who gave her name as just Madam Kasrina, was waiting to see an officer about her housing loan. She had to sort out some discrepancies related to her mortgage loan through the e-services, but was unable to do so. She had to take leave from work to settle it at the centre because of a deadline given.
Sixty-three-year-old Sim Siak Hian also took leave from work to check on his CPF withdrawal sum.
“I tried to apply online (but couldn’t), so I came down here. I always get the remarks saying, ‘The website is down, too many users’,” he said.
Mr Simon Soo, head of the Bishan service centre, said that the protocol for such situations is to enlist more manpower who are not front-line employees and open up contingency counters to print account statements.
He added: “The main challenge I’m facing is the crowd situation, and ensuring that members needs are met … especially for the elderly and members with special needs. We need to be on high alert so we don’t miss (them) when they walk into the service area.”
Today was also the deadline for members who have Medisave savings above the Medisave Minimum Sum (MMS) to withdraw their money. The board said this group is just a small handful of members.
The MMS will be removed from Jan 1 and taking its place will be what is known as the Basic Healthcare Sum.
When asked if these members will be given an extension for the deadline, the board said it would “exercise flexibility for such cases”.
Members are also assured that the board will not levy any late charges when e-services are down, and eligible members who have made voluntary contributions and top-ups via alternative channels will qualify for the relevant tax relief if applications are submitted by Dec 31 this year.
