The 6.4 per cent dividend rate for 2015 declared by the Employees Provident Fund (EPF) was very good in the context of the prevailing global economic challenges, said Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Abdul Wahid Omar.

The former Maybank chief said the dividend was EPF's second highest after the 6.75 per cent given the preceding year, and was among the highest compared to large foreign funds.

"The 6.4 per cent was really very good, and as someone with deposits in the EPF I wish to say thank you (to the EPF's management) as I can can use the money.

"I wish to congratulate the EPF's management, as it is not easy to get a 6.4 per cent return from a fund of (about) RM680 billion," he told reporters after his keynote address at the Symposium on Operationalising the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development at the Putrajaya International Convention Centre here today.

On Saturday, the EPF declared a 6.4 per cent dividend rate for 2015 with a total payout amounting to RM38.24 billion.

READ: EPF declares dividend of 6.40 per cent for 2015

READ: EPF dividend distribution 2000-2015

The retirement savings fund said in a statement that the payout amount required for every one per cent dividend rate for the year was RM5.98 billion, or 10.13 per cent higher than the RM5.43 billion in 2014.

It said the increase was in tandem with the growth in its investment assets to RM684.53 billion as at Dec 31, 2015, while gross income grew 13.18 per cent to RM44.23 billion from RM39.08 billion in 2014.