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Tragic Procrastination On Estate Planning Documents

The following story is based on an actual series of events, with some names and circumstances fictionalised. Any similarity to any person’s name, character, or history is entirely coincidental and unintentional. Hope that we better understand the importance of having estate planning documents set up as soon as possible.

Ted was a close friend of mine. He had always struck me as a kind of bon vivant, enjoying life through fine foods and adventurous travels with a small group of friends.

One day, out of the blue, he called me to meet up with him urgently. At a café in Damansara, he told me that he had just taken a health check that indicated heart palpitations, and he was due for a full heart check-up the following week.

As such, he said he wanted to do a Will and a Trust, which he wanted to be done through me personally. I told him I was happy to oblige and started with a run-through of what he owned and owed.

He had just moved into a large bungalow in an affluent area, and apart from various objets d’art and jewellery and four luxury cars, his biggest asset was his investment in Hong Kong.

This was a trading company in which Ted had a 50% share, with a local Chinese who was his old schoolmate and partner for some twenty years. The company did very well in its contracts with China. The investment was significant because he could draw a salary of USD 50,000 monthly from the business and had been doing so for the last two years.

However, the shareholding was in his partner’s name to fulfil local bidding requirements. He did not have any documentation to show his share of interest because they had both started the business based on trust.

I told Ted that, apart from setting up a will and naming his distribution wishes, he had to, as a matter of urgency, set up a trust that his partner should sign, acknowledging his beneficial interest. He agreed and named his wife and two daughters as beneficiaries. He asked me to proceed with the estate planning documents as soon as possible.

The estate planning documents were ready for him within a week, and we were to meet on a Sunday for him to sign. He, however, postponed the meeting to the following weekend and the weekend after that because of some ‘urgent business’ in Hong Kong he had to attend to.

He said he would take the opportunity then to inform his partner of the trust deed to be executed. Unfortunately, he died of cardiac arrest on the eve of the day he was due to sign his documents.

Just A Tad Late On The Estate Planning Documents

All of us were in shock. The family and I gathered shortly after the funeral to review his files and estate planning documents.

He had a rather messy record, but after painstaking work, it transpired that Ted had living parents and a sizeable debt – several million ringgit in the form of the house mortgage, a million ringgit in unsettled hire purchase, several hundred thousand ringgit in tax and about a hundred thousand ringgit incurred through ten credit cards.

So, sadly for the family, they had to apply for letters of administration because of the lack of a will, and a quarter of Ted’s estate had to be shared with his parents.

The most tragic part was that the so-called trusted friend and business partner in Hong Kong denied that Ted had any beneficial interest in the company shares (which were estimated to be worth USD 5 million for Ted’s 50% holding).

In consequence, not only was the distribution of the estate considerably delayed, but the net value of the estate left for the family was drastically reduced, and the house they had just moved into had to be sold to pay for the debts in a moribund property market.

It would have made a difference if Ted had signed his estate planning documents on time!

About Rockwills International Group

Rockwills International Group, now in its 28th year, pioneered professional will writing in 1995 and has since evolved into the leading estate planning specialist in the country. It is today the largest provider of solutions and support services in the areas of trusts, succession, management and distribution of wealth. It has shareholders’ funds exceeding RM50 million. It has done over 280,000 wills and 15,000 trusts and hold more than RM25 billion in assets under trust.

February 20, 2023
The Inaugural Malaysia Gold Conference 2023

Malaysia Gold Association (MGA) has organised and hosted the first ever Malaysia Gold Conference 2023 in Malaysia that was graced by the presence of the Ambassador of the Republic of Kazakhstan to Malaysia, His Excellency Bulat Sugurbayev accompanied by Dato’ Wira Louis Ng (Founder & Executive Chairman of PG Group), the President of MGA, along with Dato’ Chiah Hock Yew (President of Federation of Goldsmiths and Jewellers Associations of Malaysia), Vice President of MGA and Dato’ Haji Abdul Wahab Hamid, Chairman of Malaysia Gold Conference 2023, who is also the Honorary Secretary of MGA, to share with local gold industry players useful information on the current global gold market, gold prospects for year 2023 as well as market trends involving gold in various forms, here at Pavilion Hotel Kuala Lumpur, today.

With first-hand information shared by local and foreign gold veterans, the Malaysia Gold Conference 2023 was set to bring the local gold industry to greater heights.

Established in 2014, MGA has over the years played a vital role in advancing local precious metals industry through various activities from active involvement in national policy making and maintaining gold standards, to organising sales campaigns. This year, MGA has organised and kick started its first ever annual gold conference with guest speakers from London Metals Focus, Singapore Bullion Market Association, and Federation of Goldsmiths and Jewellers Association of Malaysia to share their expertise with participants – primarily gold industry players.

The core purpose of MGA is to protect the welfare of local precious metals industry and ensure that the industry continues to thrive. Hence, it is vital for local gold industry players to be consistently updated on regional market trends, global gold outlook as well as latest gold standards set by world renowned precious metals organisations, to remain competitive in global markets.

The key speakers who participated at the Malaysia Gold Conference 2023 were Mr. Chirag Sheth, Principal Consultant from London Metals Focus, Mr. Albert Cheng, Honorary Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Singapore Bullion Market Association, and Mr. Ermin Siow, Advisor from Federation of Goldsmiths and Jewellers Associations of Malaysia. The discussion topics include overview on the current global gold market, gold outlook for 2023, and latest market trends involving gold in various forms.

Apart from the three constructive gold knowledge sharing sessions, Mr Ryan Long, Head of Commodity Derivatives of Bursa Malaysia Derivatives was also given the opportunity to present a short introduction on Bursa Malaysia Gold Derivatives Gold Contract for public awareness.

According to the President of MGA, Dato’ Wira Louis Ng, “We want to make the Malaysia Gold Conference a resourceful event for all gold industry players in Malaysia. Therefore, apart from hosting discussions pertaining to physical precious metals and its prospects, we have also included a presentation on gold derivatives by Bursa Malaysia Derivatives this time round, to cover all aspects of gold in Malaysia.”

On top of the informative sharing sessions by gold veterans, Public Gold which is the main sponsor for this event, had also launched their very own Malaysia Gold ATM – certified by the Malaysia Book of Records as the First Gold Automated Teller Machine (ATM) in Malaysia that dispenses physical gold products. In line with MGA’s aim to promote home-grown brands to the World, the association is very much in support of this extraordinary initiative by Public Gold.

The momentous Malaysia Gold ATM launch ceremony was officiated by the Ambassador of the Republic of Kazakhstan to Malaysia, His Excellency Bulat Sugurbayev, Tan Sri Datuk Danny Ooi, Founder and Advisor of The Malaysia Book of Records, together with Dato’ Wira Louis Ng, Founder and Executive Chairman of PG Group, and Datin Wira Yvonne Lim, Executive Director of PG Group.

This Malaysia Gold ATM enables consumers to purchase physical gold bars (with 999.9 purity) which ranges up to 5 grams per bar at great convenience. This is to encourage general public, particularly Malaysians to keep physical gold for long-term wealth preservation. The Gram Gold Bars that are available for instant purchase at the Gold ATM feature astonishing designs from Disney, Marvel Studios, Warner Bros, Juventus, Garfield, Ejen Ali, Monsta, amongst others, which are perfect not only for personal collection and physical gold trading purposes, but also as gifts to family and friends. This machine operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to cater to ad-hoc demands at anytime of the day, with just a push of a button.

“We at Public Gold have always been an innovator and we constantly progress to suit market needs. In line with our brand tagline, ‘Ultimate Wealth Protector’, we want to encourage more locals to keep physical precious metals as a way to protect their wealth. Keeping physical gold is an excellent way to hedge against inflation. With the current economic situation in Malaysia, all the more locals should consider keeping physical gold to safeguard their existing wealth. Hence we feel this is the perfect time to launch our very own Malaysia Gold ATM to make gold purchase easy,” said Ng, who is also the Founder and Executive Chairman of Public Gold Group.

For more information on the Malaysia Gold Association (MGA), kindly log on to www.mga.my to find out more.

February 20, 2023
The Smart Investor’s Guide to ESG
With trends, some have their 15 minutes of fame, and others are here to stay. Environment, Social, and (corporate) Governance (ESG) seem to be the latter, in that it encompasses many vital points in your daily living, down to the finest detail.

Before the pandemic, the three letters ‘ESG’ were not as widely known and used by businesses, even more by investors in the local space. It was only when the world as we knew it was upturned by forced closures, bankruptcy, and unsustainable businesses that companies began to look at these three key points, and so did investors in return.

Gone are the days when keeping tabs on the performance of stocks in the market was enough for the average investor. More investors are taking into account the part they play in socially responsible investing, or sustainable investing. ESG issues are real-world problems, and investors want to put their money where their mouth is – by seeing their hard-earned money go into places that bring good impact, and not contribute to the problem.

With that, what is the importance of ESG when it comes to influencing one’s choices in investing, and how important is ESG investing in the bigger picture?

Putting your money where your principles are – ensuring the companies you invest in are ESG-compliant. | Credit: nattanan23 via Pixabay

ESG is present in our everyday life

One of the barriers to decision-making is usually a lack of understanding. Asking the man on the street about their knowledge of ESG may result in confused responses along the lines of “something that only bigger corporations need to be concerned about”.

If ESG investing comes off as a concept that is too ‘big corporate’ to grasp – breaking it down into its three elements (environment, social, and governance) in everyday terms is a good start. Would you invest in a company that is known to pollute the waters or atmosphere with toxic gases at the expense of profit? Can you turn a blind eye to corporations that run sweatshops manufacturing t-shirts retailing at $500? How about buying stocks at an investment bank infamous for helping others launder money in offshore accounts?

Whether or not we are aware of these issues, or choose to advocate against them – these three elements are key points that every business needs to consider to not just survive but also thrive. As more investors are standing up and paying attention – silence about such issues is almost regarded as compliance.

Investing in ESG-compliant companies empowers us to keep them accountable

It is one thing to talk about current issues plaguing the planet, but can businesses walk the talk? Major corporations with sustainability arms pledge their commitment to the environment, their support for a community, or merely just promise their transparency – and investing in these companies allows us to hold them to their word.

Even if these pledges are a corporate stance for good publicity – shareholders and investors can pressure them into taking action and making better decisions. Consumers, too, are now making conscious decisions to support brands or companies whose values align with theirs. These campaigns are a message from the companies to consumers that they are walking the walk. In turn, it gives consumers a vested interest in where they are putting their hard-earned money.

Climate change and the environment is one of the bigger factors for big corporations to invest in when it comes to their business practices. | Credit: AndreasAux via Pixabay

ESG investing helps us to look at the bigger picture

In today’s rapidly evolving and volatile economy, it can be difficult to determine where our investments will end up in the next month, and what more in the next 5-10 years. However, with an ESG compliance or framework in place, companies can manage and future-proof their organisations against risks that could crop up in the future. This includes risks such as climate change (E), social welfare (S) and loss of shareholder confidence (G) in business practices – all of which could jeopardise financial standings.

As a result, these companies will be able to see fewer disruptions, downtime and see better financial results in the long run. ESG on its own is a long-term goal, where the benefits and rewards are reaped by putting in the hard work now, thus giving us the opportunity to take a step back and evaluate how our choices today will bring about a changed tomorrow.

ESG reporting is still evolving

Just last year, PwC together with MICPA (The Malaysian Institute of Certified Public Accountants Malaysia) ran a survey on investors’ impressions and expectations of ESG in Malaysia. One of their key findings was that only 3% of respondents agree that the current reporting of ESG in Malaysia is good – demonstrating the need for bigger-picture reporting and the call for consistency.

For now, one of the more well-known points of reference is the Bursa Malaysia FTSE4Good Index, which lists and ranks Public Listed Companies (PLCs) according to their compliance with ESG-related principles. Done in accordance with FTSE Russell ESG Ratings Methodology, it aims to support investors in making ESG investments in Malaysian-listed companies, encourage best practice disclosure and support the transition to a lower carbon and more sustainable economy.

The list of these companies in the index is also available to the public, so you can view each company’s current status (at the time of writing, the website is updated as of December 2022) as a reference. Some corporations have also pledged their commitment to the Task Force on Climate-related Disclosures (TFCD) – with Bursa Malaysia also providing instructions to assist corporations who attend to join.

While this may mean that how companies adopt ESG-compliant initiatives and reporting can differ from case to case, there is still a need for uniform standards and reporting – or else it could leave investors with more questions than they can find answers to in the long run.

By Grace Lim

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February 20, 2023
Over 700 Vendors Gain Digitalisation Upskills From PLATS

60 hawkers from Hulu Langat, Selangor joined the latest session of the Selangor Micro Hawkers Development Training Programme held on 27 January to gain digitalisation skills organised by Platform Selangor (PLATS).

A total of 708 hawkers from across Selangor’s 12 districts have been trained about the impact of digitalisation on the economy by Platform Selangor (PLATS) since August 2022.

PLATS is an initiative of Permodalan Negeri Selangor Berhad (PNSB) and Menteri Besar Selangor Incorporated (MBI), and arranging the training is a proactive step by the state to help citizens elevate their business through a digital community platform. It aims to mobilise the merchants, hawkers and grocers.

The half-day long training – typically conducted with local partners including Maybank, OCBC and the Employees Provident Fund (EPF) – counsels these vendors about the benefits of digitalisation to their business.

To date, it has benefited individuals from the Selangor Micro Hawker Development Training Programme from Kuala Selangor (80), Subang Jaya (100), 109 individuals from the Kajang programme, and 177 people from the Shah Alam branch. All individuals have received certificates from PLATS to help boost their business.

In its most recent session, around 50 people from the Kuala Langat Micro Hawker Development Training Programme were involved. In the near future, more trainings will be held in Majlis Perbandaran Klang (MPK), Majlis Bandaraya Petaling Jaya (MBPJ) and Majlis Perbandaran Selayang (MPS).

“PLATS helps provide a platform for these individuals to grow and move towards the digital world. In doing so, we are confident that these merchants, hawkers and grocers can be more sustainable in the future,” said Y.M. Raja Ahmad Shahrir Iskandar bin Raja Salim, Chief Executive Officer of PNSB.

He adds that the training programme serves as a foundation for these small business owners to learn – hard skills as well as soft skills – and is the best avenue for them to raise questions in their quest to gain clearer knowledge about digitalisation.

PLATS’ training comprises topics of managing social media accounts, basic editing of social media posts, management process of online orders, adaptation of Cashless Transactions, basic digitalisation of business, and an introduction to PLATS. There are 12 sections during training and attendees gain awareness and information on their journey towards the modernisation of the economy.

Y.M. Raja Ahmad Shahrir Iskandar emphasised that PLATS prioritises the growth of merchants and grocers in the state. In future, he said, the programme targets to improve its website: to make it easier and more convenient for merchants and users, as well as trainers and speakers for the training.

About PLATS

Platform Selangor – PLATS – is the initiative of the Selangor State Government to support and promote the businesses of hawkers and other small merchants. This digital directory of merchants was mooted in 2020 with the launch of the PLATS e-bazaar, Malaysia’s first ever digitalised Ramadan bazaar. Following this, the PLATS 2.0 efforts in 2022 has seen it become Selangor’s digitalisation platform catalyst for small business owners.

For more information on PLATS, visit the website at www.platselangor.com

About Permodalan Negeri Selangor Berhad – PNSB (www.pnsb.com.my)

Permodalan Negeri Selangor Berhad, or as it is more widely known, PNSB is a Selangor State Government subsidiary, under the supervision of Menteri Besar Selangor (Incorporated) or MBI. As a subsidiary organisation of the Selangor state government, PNSB focuses on real estate development as its core business, developing residential and commercial property as well as housing estate and townships that are sustainable and affordable in Selangor and the Klang Valley.

Through its subsidiary, PNSB offers insurance service via PNSB Insurance Brokers Sdn. Bhd. (PIBSB), project management consultancy services via PNSB Management Consultancy Sdn. Bhd. (PMC), mining activity through PNSB Trading Sdn Bhd (PTSB) and aeronautical exploration services via PNSB Aero Frontier Sdn Bhd. With its mission to diversify its business, PNSB also intends to seek opportunities to work with investors through its subsidiary, PNSB Investment Venture Sdn. Bhd. (PIV).

PNSB also plays a vital role in carrying out corporate social responsibility obligations as it is a government subsidiary with conscience taking an active role in corporate social responsibility (CSR) on behalf of the Selangor state government and as well as for PNSB itself.

About MBI

Menteri Besar Selangor (Incorporation) was established under the Selangor Menteri Besar Enactment (Enactment No: 3 1994) on 21 September 1994. MBI Selangor is a body established specifically to administer the management of assets and investments belonging to the State Government in carrying out activities business that is outside the jurisdiction of the State Government. MBI also plays a role in promoting and supporting the development efforts of the State of Selangor in addition to fulfill social responsibility obligations to the community For more information on MBI, visit the website at https://www.mbiselangor.com/ms/

February 15, 2023
How To Free Up RM 2,000 Per Month Without Sacrificing Your Lifestyle?
How would you 𝗳𝗲𝗲𝗹 when you are in this situation of…..

❗Total RM 382,000 𝗼𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 in credit card & personal loan

❗Have a 𝗱𝗲𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗶𝘁 of RM 5,328/month, of which RM 13,500/month is into servicing debt instalments

❗𝗡𝗲𝗴𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 net worth due to faster growth of loan interest than the growth of his assets

To feel 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗳𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁 & 𝗳𝗿𝗲𝗲 like this……

✔️𝗥𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 his personal loan & Credit card outstanding to only RM 131,000 from RM 382,000

✔️𝗦𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 of RM 7,851/month by restructuring his commitments from RM 13,500/month to RM 5,649/month

✔️𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗲 his wealth to RM 565,000 after we help him restructure his debts, giving him 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗳𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 to buy two properties worth almost RM 1 Million

So this is what happened to Raymond, who is an IT professional, working for a famous Multinational company. Single & available, he is very friendly & has a very good relation with his friends & colleagues.

Not settling for mediocrity, he always dreams of doing his own business. That is how he started partnering with a long-time friend in the chicken-rearing business. His friend was a veterinarian, and chicken is a staple food in Malaysia.

So he put in his share of RM 225,000 in investment from his side, while his friend put in RM 75,000 to purchase live stocks and stock feeds. The condition was that his friend would run and manage the company’s operations.

But within six months, the business couldn’t generate enough sales, struggled to stay afloat, and accumulated a debt of RM 120,000. He went from having good cash flow with monthly savings to having a deficit of RM 5,328/month by using his credit cards to finance the losses of the business.

When we dive deeper into his situation, we see that his problem compounded because, over the years, he did not pick ‘G.O.O.D’ assets, despite earning a high income. Simply put, his assets were not growing as fast as his loans. We discovered that he also placed a large amount of his savings into insurance policies—21, to be exact.

So while most individuals are right about having a mix of high-risk investment vs low-risk investment in their portfolio to generate good returns, Raymond was right on the big picture but struggled to see that insurance does not generate healthy returns.

So here is two things we did to help Raymond:
1. Restructure his debt of RM 382,000, which is causing him to have a negative cash flow of RM 5,328/month, by using Debt Replacement
2. Freeing up RM 27k/year cash flow by restructuring his insurance using PMR rate and maximising his low coverage up to 5x
You have heard a lot about Debt Restructuring, but what is PMR?

You might be wondering, what actually is this PMR tool? Is it some kind of magic?

PMR stands for Policy Maximisation Rate and is used to measure “Is your insurance coverage maximized with the lowest possible premium?”

For example, a PMR rate of 125 means that for every Ringgit premium paid, you are getting coverage of RM125.

One of the first things we did was to list down all his insurance policies and premiums and run them through my proprietary PMR tool to identify Raymond’s under-optimised policies and correct them.

To his surprise, Raymond was undercovered despite paying for so many policies.

Raymond: “But, Ka Hoe, all the savings plans are good. At least the premiums are not burned, and I will get a lump sum back?”

“Well, it depends,” I answered. After calculating the rate of returns of the savings plans, we found that Raymond is getting about 2% per year. His money will earn better interest if deposited in FD.

Next, we calculated how much Raymond needs to cover so he won’t be under-covered or over-insured.

Raymond is not alone. Most people buy insurance based on what they think they need without calculating their actual needs and end up paying too much and covering too little.

So, what is a good PMR, then? Based on my experience in the past 14 years, after reviewing thousands of policies, a PMR of less than 100 is normally under-optimised.

If your PMR rate is between 100 and 200, it’s somewhat optimised, but it can be better. A PMR rate over 200 is well optimised, but you must ensure each component of your insurance needs is covered.

You can learn more about the PMR tool here. (short video of my previous sharing on KCLau’s webinar)

Interested to find out what is your PMR? Are you currently under or over-insured or simply paying too much in premium?

Then, I would like to invite you to our first “How to Free Up RM2k/month Without Sacrificing Your Lifestyle” webinar in 2023.

This webinar has assisted many of my students in lowering their insurance premiums and increasing their coverage, allowing them to start working twice as hard and possibly retiring five to ten years earlier.

During the webinar, I will not only go through with you the exact steps I did with Raymond with my proprietary PMR tool but also:

1) How to identify under-optimized policies and correct them

2) Calculate how much you need to cover so you won’t be under-covered or over-insured.

3) Better prepare you for the future and prevent potential time bombs from blowing up during retirement

4) Go through real-world case studies with proven results on how to free up your cash flow so that you can work your money 2x harder.

Click here to learn more about how Raymond and the rest free up their cash flow up to 3x and maximize their coverage up to 5x. Use this promo code SIGUEST to get it at 9.87 (80% off the retail ticket of RM 47, the webinar is valued at RM 1,997)

Ka Hoe is a Licensed Financial Planner having a “Financial Adviser Representative” (FAR) with Bank Negara and “Capital Market Service Representative License (CMSRL) – Financial Planner” with the Securities Commission. He is also the Founder of J Advisory, a Personal Finance Academy that helps struggling Malaysians elevate their financial well-being with proven tools, systems and strategies.

Disclaimer: All strategies listed here are neither recommendations nor advise. The article is written purely for education and journaling only. The content of this article is an expression of my opinion and should not be taken as professional advise. If you are seeking professional advise, please consult me personally. When dealing with debt, you should conduct research and seek expert advice.
February 14, 2023
Maybank Asset Management Launches New Decumulation Fund Offering Retiree Investors Peace Of Mind

Maybank Asset Management Sdn Bhd (“MAM Malaysia”) today announced the launch of a Shariah-compliant multi-asset Maybank Global Wealth Conservative-I Fund (“Fund”). The new Fund joins the Maybank Global Wealth Moderate-I Fund and Maybank Global Wealth Growth-I Fund in the suite of Maybank Flexible Retirement Solution offerings launched last year.

The enhanced suite of Maybank Flexible Retirement Solution provides investors, across different life stages, distinct lifestyles and retirement needs, the flexibility and access to Shariah-compliant flexible retirement-focused solutions to supplement and diversify their retirement planning. The solution incorporates dynamic asset allocation and downside risk management, which is crucial in ensuring stability for investors when saving for retirement in the medium to long term.

Retirement planning has become more difficult in Malaysia as a consequence of the pandemic and EPF stimulus withdrawals. An estimated four to six years are now needed to rebuild lost savings for retirement. With longer life expectancy and higher cost of living due to inflation, market volatility and recession risks looming, Malaysians require a flexible retirement solution to ensure financial stability in their later years.

The new decumulation fund aims to deliver higher income payouts while drawing down capital to convert assets to income systematically. This new approach supplements income post-retirement or even temporary time off from the workforce. The Fund aims to achieve an income distribution of 7% per annum. Remaining assets continue to be investedin seeking returns, giving investors the opportunity to continue to build their retirement nest egg further. This provides investors with peace of mind, knowing that they have a regular source of income stream post retirement. In addition, investors have unparalleled access to a diversified portfolio of Shariah-compliant global assets. To achieve its investment objective, the asset allocation for the Fund will comprise minimum of 70% in Sukuk with the remainder invested in Equities and Cash.

With close to two decades of supporting the Malaysian investment community, Schroder Investment Management (Singapore) Ltd (“Schroders”), is the solution’s Investment Adviser. Schroders manages over RM4 trillion of assets (as of 30 Jun 2022) globally and is one of Malaysia’s biggest offshore providers of Shariah solutions. Investors in the fund will benefit from the deep experience of Schroders’ multi-asset investment team, which comprises 90 dedicated investment professionals across the globe, with an established 30-year track record.

The Maybank Global Wealth Growth Conservative-I Fund and other funds in the Maybank Flexible Retirement Solution are available exclusively at Maybank branches nationwide.

Ahmed Muzni Mohamed, Chief Executive Officer, Maybank Asset Management Malaysia, said, “Retirement planning remains a problem in Malaysia. Most of us only think about retirement only when we get older. Given the continuous rise in cost of living and inflation, we need to inculcate the importance of supplementing our existing retirement savings as early as possible to ensure a financially secure retirement.”

“The beauty of Maybank’s Flexible Retirement Solution is that we have reframed the traditional age-based approach to retirement planning and made it appealing to a wider audience segment by designing solutions based on understanding and targeting Malaysians various life stages, time horizons and financial goals. Our Funds certainly gives Malaysians more flexibility and choice to start planning.”

He reiterated “Investors of different segments will be able to choose what levels of risk to take, i.e. growth, moderate or conservative and have the flexibility to decide on how their retirement planning should fit their life goals and needs. Now with our decumulation fund, it supplements one’s income post-retirement, by providing higher income pay-outs. This helps in their income stability and longevity protection of their savings, giving them a peace of mind to continue with a quality life without worrying about finances.”

Lily Choh, CEO of Singapore, Schroders, said, “At the heart of retirement planning is financial security and peace of mind to enjoy our later years. We are delighted to partner with Maybank Asset Management to develop an innovative strategy that focuses on providing a reliable income stream to fund current and future needs. This solution is built on Schroders’ strong track record and extensive world-class institutional capabilities in managing pension schemes. The addition of the fund to the current suite of Shariah retirement solution reflects our strong commitment to support the retirement planning journey of Malaysian investors.”

MAM Malaysia and Schroders have been co-developing a range of specialised investment solutions since 2018, including Shariah-compliant Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) funds for the growing wealth market in Malaysia.

Maybank Global Wealth Conservative-I Fund is offered in MYR-Hedged Decumulation Class. Investors can purchase units in the Funds at a minimum initial investment of RM1,000 and make additional investments at a minimum of RM100. To know more about the Fund, investors can visit www.maybank-am.com.my or invest through Maybank branches nationwide.

About Maybank Asset Management Sdn. Bhd.

Maybank Asset Management Sdn. Bhd. is a subsidiary of Maybank Asset Management Group Berhad (MAMG) and is owned by Malayan Banking Berhad (Maybank) and Permodalan Nasional Berhad (PNB) as its asset management arm.

MAMG is one of the pioneers in the local asset management industry with a highly capable fund management team, averaging over 20 years of investment experience and expertise in Asian markets. It has presence across three (3) Asean key markets namely, Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia offering Asian-based investment solutions encompassing both conventional and Islamic assets. The portfolio management services cater to all types of investors, including corporate and institutions, high net-worth individuals and mass retail.

MAMG has a strong foothold in Asean with strategic intent to enhance its investment capabilities with on-the-ground market intelligence and expertise as well as expanding its regional distribution capabilities to market products cross-border. MAMG’s AUM stands at MYR 31.9 billion as at 31 January 2023.

About Schroders Plc

Founded in 1804, Schroders is one of Europe’s largest independent investment management firms by assets under management. As at 30 June 2022, assets under management were £773.4 billion (€898.4 billion; $939.2 billion). The founding family remain a core shareholder, holding approximately 48% of the firm’s voting shares. Schroders has continued to deliver strong financial results. It has a market capitalisation of circa £7.7 billion and employs over 5,800 people across 38 locations.

Schroders has benefited from the most diverse business model of any UK asset manager by geography, by asset class and by client type. Schroders offers innovative products and solutions across their five business areas of solutions; institutional; mutual funds; private assets & alternatives; and wealth management. Clients include insurance companies, pension schemes, sovereign wealth funds, endowments, and foundations. They also manage assets for end clients as part of their relationships with distributors, financial advisers, and online platforms. Schroders’ Wealth Management offering reflects their strategic ambition to provide wealth management and financial planning services to clients across the wealth spectrum.

Schroders’ strategic aims are to grow their asset management business, build closer relationships with end clients and expand their private assets and alternatives business. Schroders’ purpose is to provide excellent investment performance to clients through active management. The business channels capital into sustainable and durable businesses to accelerate positive change in the world. Schroders’ business philosophy is based on the belief that if they deliver for clients, they deliver for Shareholders and other stakeholders.

Further information about Schroders can be found at www.schroders.com.

February 14, 2023
3 Steps To Kickstart Your Stock Market Investment Journey
First of all, congratulations to you! We believe you are here reading this article because you have finally decided to start investing.

Before we look at how to kickstart your stock market investment journey, we need to understand what investing is all about.

Investing is buying assets that increase in value over time and provide returns through income payments or capital gains. These assets can be stocks, bonds, property or anything that can give you some returns.

This article will share how to kickstart your stock market investment journey.

Perhaps you might be wondering how to start investing for the first time. First of all, to invest in the stock market, you will need three things.

You will need investment knowledge, some money as your capital and an account to buy stocks. To make your life easier, let us help you how to kickstart your stock market investment journey.

Here are the things that you need to consider before you begin investing in the stock market.

Read: Two Ways To Make Money In Malaysia Share Investment

Kickstart Your Stock Market Investment Journey#1 Understand the Instrument or Product That You Want to Invest In

To invest in Bursa Malaysia, you must know their products and services. Among the products available are equities, bonds, derivatives and many more.

Under equities are shares, company warrants, structured warrants, Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs), Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs), Closed-end Funds, Business Trusts and Stapled Securities.

Source: Bursa Malaysia

As a beginner, we would suggest you begin with shares or stocks. According to Investopedia, a stock, also known as equity, is a security that represents the ownership of a fraction of the issuing corporation.

Source: Investopedia

If you purchase company shares, you are one of the owners because you own a fraction of ownership in that company. You may not be the major shareholder, but at least you can proudly say you are part of the company business.

Once you understand what stocks are and how they work, do not stop learning and keep searching for more reading materials and videos over the internet. Believe me. If you wish to sustain long enough in the stock market, there is no shortcut.

There are some Bursa Malaysia websites where you can get useful information, such as Bursa Malaysia, Bursa Marketplace and Bursa Academy. Check them out!

Read: Investing VS Trading, Which One Is Suitable For Me?

Kickstart Your Stock Market Investment Journey#2 Decide How Much to Invest

Each investor may have a different size of capital to start with. Some may be able to start small such as RM1,000. Meanwhile, others who have higher capital perhaps wish to start with more than RM10,000.

As a beginner, always start small. You need to get some experience before you go with higher capital. The most important thing is to only invest with your surplus cash.

Never invest with your emergency funds. Investors who invest with their emergency funds tend to trade emotionally, affecting their decision-making.

Different sizes of capital require different strategies.

If you have bigger capital, you might want to diversify your portfolio by purchasing stocks from different sectors or instruments. A piece of advice to new investors and traders. Don’t put all your eggs in one basket.

So let’s see an example. Assuming that you have RM30,000, to begin with. Our suggestion for you is you can split the RM30,000 into three different stocks, which means each stock is purchased with RM10,000.

The three types of stocks that you can consider are:
- High dividend yield stocks that can give consistent dividends
- Good momentum stocks for short to medium term
- Large market cap stocks that are more stable for long term
Read: Fundamental Analysis vs Technical Analysis

Kickstart Your Stock Market Investment Journey#3 Open a Central Depository System (CDS) & Trading Account

After deciding which broker to open an account with, the next step is to open a CDS & trading account.

Any investors who wish to trade in securities listed on Bursa Malaysia must open a CDS & trading account. A CDS account acts like a wallet. Any stocks bought or sold will be credited into your CDS account & debited from your CDS account accordingly.

Simply put, when you buy stocks, shares are credited into your CDS account, and when you sell your stocks, they are debited from your CDS account.

Meanwhile, trading accounts enable you to buy and sell shares on the stock exchange. Normally, CDS and trading accounts will be opened together when you open with the brokers. The list of Participating Organisations can be found on the Bursa Malaysia website.

Do you have a trading account? If not, you are invited to open an account with one of the brokers available in Malaysia.

Click this link to open an account with CGS-CIMB: https://www.cgs-cimb.com.my/en/Account-opening-Tr.jsp

Don’t forget to key in PR1M495 in the Remisier Reference section.

A designated Dealer’s Representative will attend and assist you with your account opening.

There you go with some tips to kickstart your stock market investment journey. All the best!

Read: 4 Mistakes People Make In Stock Investing
February 13, 2023
Digitalization Is Your ESG Enabler

Mr. Jake Yamashita, President and CEO of RICOH, paid a visit to RICOH Malaysia’s newly renovated headquarters in Shah Alam today. This marks a number of milestones for the company, including Ricoh’s smart office transformation, which has catapulted the company into a new era of digitalization, as well as Yamashita’s first visit to Malaysia from Japan. To acknowledge this gracious occasion, RICOH Malaysia held an exclusive roundtable discussion for the media to highlight the importance of digitalisation and Environment, Social and Governance in the workplace.

Accompanying Jake on the panel was Joji Takunaga, Managing Director of Ricoh – Asia Pacific + Latin America and Steven Burger, General manager of Ricoh – Asia Pacific + Latin America. The afternoon was addressed by Alice Lee, Managing Director of Ricoh (M) Sdn Bhd.

Many topics were touched during the panel discussion which included Ricoh’s new approach to the ever-changing world which is to assist businesses make a seamless digital transformation towards their goals in achieving genuine ESG.

From left Joji, Jake & Steven at the Media Roundtable

Jake’s visit to Malaysia is intended to address several issues that RICOH and the majority of companies globally are facing – the need for digital transformation. RICOH Graphic Communications, RICOH Industrial Solutions, and RICOH Futures are all important players in the digitalization of workplaces, because these business sectors frequently engage in advanced technological and conceptual areas.

Jake claims that many people associate Ricoh with copiers or the environment. He stated that he appreciates this because it demonstrates the collaborative efforts of RICOH management and employees over the years. Since 1998, RICOH has advocated environmental management, and its cumulative efforts in a progressive approach to environmental, social, governance (ESG) have been the reason customers and dealers worldwide choose RICOH as their preferred partner. Because of this, RICOH refers to ESG as future finance.

The adoption of digital technologies and their potential to influence ESG priorities are becoming increasingly convergent. Improved data collection, reporting, and analysis will have the biggest impact right away and will benefit every part of the business. Additionally, finance and treasury organisations are adopting next-generation technology, including cloud infrastructure, robotics for shared service centre operations, artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, and blockchain to digitise supply chains. They are also deploying new data and collaboration tools to achieve important objectives like regulatory compliance, data protection, workforce productivity, and much more.

The secret to effectively using digital technology as an ESG enabler is to ensure that a comprehensive strategy is in place with collaboration across an ecosystem of partners, including businesses, governments, banks, multilateral organisations, and other third-party providers, who can offer solutions and share information in pursuit of important goals.

Mr. Joji Tokunaga, Managing Director, Ricoh APAC & LA, at the Asia Pacific Central Refurbishment Center that refurbishes Ricoh hardware and give them a new lease of life

“When we decided to become a digital services company focused on the world of work, some people wondered if we were abandoning our manufacturing roots. Some businesses have undoubtedly adopted a strategy of outsourcing hardware production and focusing on services. Our approach, on the other hand, is to collaborate with customers. Edge devices are critical to achieving our objectives,” Jake explained.

People generate a wide variety of data at work. It is crucial to extract the required and important data from the massive volumes that are produced. The effectiveness of analysis and artificial intelligence-based work is increased by high-quality data. Jake continued, “It will be challenging to create an ecosystem where data can add value. Even if you build a great platform, without good edge devices, you will only get meaningless information. This is where the RICOH Smart Integration co-creation platform comes into play.

Jake believes that people must be innovative, generate useful ideas, and broaden their perspectives because they are at the centre of all work processes. It is essential to make artificial intelligence, systems and networks, and other digital platforms more approachable, accessible and user-friendly for people because they are analogue beings living in a world that is becoming more and more digital. “I think the Ricoh Group can pull this off”. Although AI and other machines have historically had limited capabilities, Jake suggested that as they have advanced quickly, the possibilities have greatly increased too.

Robotic Process Automation (RPA) was implemented by RICOH in 2018. They started re-evaluating the duties that employees should carry out as they overhauled their business processes. Consider the possibility that one business process can be automated by a single robot. Will the other 50 workers be idle if 70 robots and 50 employees can complete the work that 100 people previously handled? Should we be pleased that we can reduce labour costs by half?

Mr. Jake Yamashita, President & CEO, Ricoh Ltd. a strong advocate for ESG highlighting Ricoh Malaysia’s in-office recycling efforts

“No. We should be delighted to have freed those people up to take on new and creative work. We should invest in educating and reskilling these people accordingly”, affirmed Jake.

“I would be thrilled if customers were to realize that Ricoh is always there for them, willing to assist them with their work needs. Of course, we take pride in the fact that we have always supported our clients, and we intend to keep doing so while harnessing the power of digital technology to address their issues and remain accessible to them, assisting them with digital transformation and their advancement towards their ESG practices. We will make an effort to focus all investments, development of human resources, and management decisions on achieving that objective, and we will keep working to provide top-notch goods and services.

We are boldly taking on new challenges with our eyes fixed on the opportunities that lie ahead precisely because we are all generally going through a difficult time. The Ricoh Group will keep working to achieve Fulfilment through Work so that our stakeholders will continue to hold high expectations for our efforts”, Jake concluded.

About Ricoh

Ricoh is empowering digital workplaces using innovative technologies and services that enable individuals to work smarter from anywhere. With cultivated knowledge and organizational capabilities nurtured over its 85-years history, Ricoh is a leading provider of digital services, information management, and print and imaging solutions designed to support digital transformation and optimize business performance.

Headquartered in Tokyo, Ricoh Group has major operations throughout the world and its products and services now reach customers in approximately 200 countries and regions. In the financial year ended March 2022, Ricoh Group had worldwide sales of 1,758 billion yen (approx. 14.5 billion USD).

For further information, please visit www.ricoh.com

February 10, 2023
Launch Of ConsuMerchant Book: The Essential Guide To Achieving Financial Freedom With E-Commerce

For the first time ever, the brains behind the ConsuMerchant concept, Dato’ Wira Louis Ng, Founder and Executive Chairman of PG Group, who is also the Managing Director of the leading homegrown online shopping platform, PGMall, has officially revealed to the nation, the essential guide to achieving financial freedom with e-Commerce, here at Hilton Kuala Lumpur. Also present at the launch event were Dato’ Haji Mohd Aizuddin Ghazali, Chief Executive Officer of Yayasan Prihatin Nasional (PRIHATIN) and Datuk Abdul Malik Abdullah, Economic & International Advisor of PRIHATIN, to co-launch a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Programme with PGMall, represented by Mr. Jerry Ng, Chief Operating Officer of PGMall.

With the newly launched ConsuMerchant book, readers get to learn ways to earn legitimate passive incomes while shopping online, through a revolutionary Sharing Economy business model called ConsuMerchant. Also in this book, readers will come across two real-life case studies involving two companies, namely Public Gold and PGMall, in which have proven ConsuMerchant to be a workable concept for all.

Being the Founder and Executive Chairman to the renowned precious metals trading company in Malaysia, Public Gold, Dato’ Wira Louis Ng, has long experienced the advantages and effectiveness of referral marketing – the key to rapid business growth and advancement, through the establishment of Public Gold back in 2008. Considering that online shopping trends are on the rise in the recent years, he had envisioned and created yet another business channel that adopts similar concept of referral marketing and e-Commerce, but is more advanced and digitally-enhanced to benefit everyone in the digital era regardless of age, gender, education and financial backgrounds. That was when he started PGMall in 2017, an online shopping platform to fulfil consumer lifestyle needs.

In general, shoppers are value creators in the economy chain. Based on the law of supply and demand, every goods (supply), needs to have buyers (demand) to be valuable within the economy ecosystem. That was how the ConsuMerchant ideology came about. It operates under the ‘Shop, Share, Earn’ concept, whereby shoppers who referred new shoppers will be rewarded with cash and shopping credits through the referral and loyalty programme. Naturally when there is high consumer traffic, merchants will benefit from it too. Therefore, it’s a win-win for all. The ConsuMerchant is a concept designed to benefit all and makes everyone, including shoppers (consumers) an entrepreneur.

“The main reason I have founded the ConsuMerchant concept is to offer community the opportunity to earn passive incomes through a reliable and effective business model that requires no startup cost. In line with government’s vision in building a wealthier nation, my team and I have embarked on this Sharing Economy journey through PGMall since 2017, which coincidently was well established just in time before the COVID-19 pandemic hit our nation and the World,” said Dato’ Wira Louis Ng.

“In just a short 5 years, ConsuMerchant has benefitted many Malaysians greatly despite the economy downturn caused by the pandemic. In view of its effectiveness in generating incomes even for the illiterates, I am wishful and hope to spread this useful knowledge to larger community – not just to Malaysians but people across the World through my book. This is so that everyone will get to benefit from it and live a financially sound life not just in the present, but for generations to come,” he added.

Apart from introducing the ConsuMerchant Sharing Economy business model, this book also features researches done by fellow authors, who are lecturers from different established universities, based on various other business models’ effectiveness in the digital economy era that includes comparison between ConsuMerchant and other conventional referral models through clear illustrations.

There are five key topics being discussed in this book, which include e-Commerce, referral marketing, consumers, merchants and social media. On top of that, testimonies from successful users are also featured in this book to endorse the effectiveness of the ConsuMerchant business model. All in all, this book is a must buy for all who wish to understand more about e-Commerce and how to make the most out of it to live a better and financially stable life.

And in conjunction with the launch of the ConsuMerchant book, PGMall had also co-launched its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Programme with Yayasan Prihatin Nasional (PRIHATIN), a charitable organization in Malaysia, in which PGMall has contributed a total of RM25,000 to kick start a long-term partnership with PRIHATIN. The core purpose of this partnership is to help raise funds for the underprivileged young communities, particularly those who are in need of financial assistance to start a business in Malaysia, through the sales of the ConsuMerchant Book.

The ConsuMerchant book will be available for purchase at all major bookstore nationwide starting from February 8th, 2023. Alternatively, this book can also be purchased online through PGMall, the leading homegrown online shopping platform in Malaysia.

February 9, 2023
4 Places To Invest Your Extra Cash

When it comes to investing, Malaysians have a wide range of options. With a growing economy and a rapidly developing financial sector, there are many ways to put your extra money to work.

Today, we will explore some of the most popular investment options to invest your extra cash for Malaysians, including real estate, bonds, mutual funds, and stock investing.

Invest Your Extra Cash#1: Real Estate

Real estate is one of the most popular investment options for Malaysians, particularly those looking for a long-term investment that can provide steady returns. Whether you’re looking to invest in a rental property, purchase a second home, or buy and hold a piece of land, real estate can be a great way to grow your wealth over time.

But to start on this journey, you might need to prepare a huge amount of money, and not everyone knows how to determine a good property for investment purposes. Some of them might have chosen the wrong property and suffer every month.

Read: Is Malaysia Property Still Worth To Invest In?

Invest Your Extra Cash#2: Bonds

Bonds are another popular investment option for Malaysians. These fixed-income investments pay a set interest rate over a specified period, typically in return for a loan to a government or corporation. They are generally considered safer investments than stocks, as they offer a predictable rate of return and low risk.

However, bonds might be a bit boring for most investors, and it might take a very long time to enjoy the profit of it.

Read: Where To Invest In 2023: Amidst The Recession

Invest Your Extra Cash#3: Mutual Funds

Mutual funds are professionally managed portfolios of stocks, bonds, or other assets. By pooling your money with that of other investors, mutual funds allow you to access a diverse range of investments and benefit from the expertise of professional fund managers.

However, investors need to pay those professionals for their services, even when the market is in bad condition and their investments are in a loss position.

Read: Six Golden Rules In Getting Favorable Returns And Growth, When Investing In Unit Trusts

Invest Your Extra Cash#4: Stock Investing

Finally, stock investing is a popular option for those looking to grow their wealth over the long term. By buying shares in a company, you become a partial owner and are entitled to a portion of its profits. Stock investing can be a high-risk, high-reward investment, as the value of your shares can rise or fall depending on the company’s performance and the stock market.

For Malaysians, stock investing has become increasingly accessible in recent years, with the rise of online brokerages and the ability to buy and sell shares from your computer or mobile device. There are many different approaches to stock investing, including buying and holding individual stocks, investing in mutual funds or exchange-traded funds (ETFs) that track the stock market’s performance, or using more complex strategies such as options trading or short selling.

Managing your fund is difficult, so you need knowledge and experience before starting your stock investment journey.

Read: Investing VS Trading, Which One Is Suitable For Me?

Conclusion

Regardless of your choice, having a well-defined investment strategy and being comfortable with your risk level are important. It’s also a good idea to seek the advice of a financial advisor or professional who can help you determine the best investment options for your needs and risk tolerance.

In conclusion, when you want to invest your extra cash as a Malaysian, you have many options, including real estate, bonds, mutual funds, and stock investing. Each option has unique advantages and risks, and the best investment for you will depend on your individual goals, risk tolerance, and investment strategy.

Whether you’re looking for a long-term investment that provides steady returns or is willing to take on more risk in pursuit of higher returns, there is sure to be an investment option that fits your needs.

Read: 5 Investment Tips For Beginners That You Should Know

February 6, 2023