RM14 Billion in Unclaimed Money, Some Owners Unaware of Their Entitlement
KUALA LUMPUR: The government recorded RM14 billion in unclaimed money (WTD) as of the end of September, partly because some owners were unaware that the money rightfully belonged to them.
Finance Minister II Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah Azizan said the situation stemmed from a lack of public awareness about the existence of unclaimed money and their right to claim it.
“This is also due to difficulties in tracing the owners because contact information, such as addresses and telephone numbers, is no longer accurate or has not been updated.
“In addition, it is caused by a lack of information about the existence of unclaimed money, particularly when owners are unaware that entities or companies still owe them money,” he said.
He said this when winding up the debate on the 2027 Budget at the committee stage for the Ministry of Finance in the Dewan Rakyat on Tuesday.
Amir Hamzah said some of the money also remained unclaimed after the owners had died because their heirs or estate administrators were unaware of its existence.
According to him, the situation also involved heirs or representatives facing documentation difficulties when required to provide evidence to verify their entitlement to the money.
He said some owners were aware of their unclaimed money but had yet to submit claims due to personal reasons or time constraints.
To facilitate the return of money to its rightful owners, he said the government had implemented several initiatives, including expanding access to claim services for rural communities.
He said the public could now check and submit claims for unclaimed money online through the eGUMIS portal, managed by the Accountant General’s Department of Malaysia (JANM).
“Through the eGUMIS portal, members of the public can check and claim unclaimed money online,” he said.
He explained that the system enables money to be returned to its rightful owners more quickly and conveniently without any charges.
According to him, the eGUMIS portal has also been integrated with MyGov Malaysia since January 22 to make it easier for the public to access government services online.
“As of October 30, JANM had conducted 176 unclaimed money outreach booth programmes nationwide, compared with 89 in 2025,” he said.
Amir Hamzah said JANM also operates a mobile bus service twice a month to raise public awareness and encourage more owners or heirs to reclaim money that rightfully belongs to them.
SINAR HARIAN