Some Memories

EPF (1/1/08 - 31/12/08) 4.5 vs (2007) 5.8 ASM 1/4/08 - 31/3/09) 6.25 vs (2007/8) 7.8 ASW (1/9/08 - 31/8/09) 6.3 vs (2007/8) 7 AS1M ?

KUALA LUMPUR: Amanah Saham Nasional Bhd (ASNB), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Permodalan Nasional Bhd (PNB), has announced a 6.50 sen dividend per unit for Amanah Saham Malaysia (ASM) for the financial year ending March 31. ASNB has also announced a special income distribution of 0.30 sen per unit as a token of appreciation to ASM investors for their support. The income distribution of 6.80 sen per unit was higher than the 6.50 sen per unit paid last year, PNB Chairman Tun Ahmad Sarji Abdul Hamid said. Source: The Star

KUALA LUMPUR: Amanah Saham Nasional Bhd, a unit of Permodalan Nasional Bhd (PNB), declared an income distribution of 6.60 sen per unit for Amanah Saham 1Malaysia (AS1M) for the financial year ending Sept 30, 2012. Chairman Tun Ahmad Sarji Abdul Hamid said on Thursday the third income distribution was an increase of 0.10 sen per unit compared with 6.50 sen per unit announced last year. Source: The Star

PNB has announced a 6.6 sen dividend for ASW 2020, 0.1 sen higher than last year.

KUALA LUMPUR, March 22 (Bernama) -- Amanah Saham Nasional Bhd (ASNB), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Permodalan Nasional Bhd (PNB), has announced a 6.50 sen dividend per unit for Amanah Saham Malaysia (ASM) for the financial year ending March 31, 2012. Source: Bernama

ASM 2011 dividend 6.38 cents On 17th March 2010, Amanah Saham Nasional Bhd (ASNB) announced 6.38 sen dividend per unit of Amanah Saham Malaysia (ASM) for the financial year ended 31st March 2011. ASW 2020 2011 dividend 6.5 cents Amanah Saham Nasional Bhd (ASNB), announced a dividend of 6.5 sen per unit for the Amanah Saham Wawasan 2020 for the financial year ending 31st August, 2011. AS1M 2011 dividend 6.5 cents Amanah Saham Nasional Berhad (ASNB), announced a dividend of 6.50 sen per unit for Amanah Saham 1Malaysia (AS 1Malaysia) for the financial year ended 30th September 2011.

This is the maiden dividend declared for AS1M for the period ending 30 Sept 2010. To me, this is quite a good percentage judging from the initial rumuour that PNB would only give return around 3.8%.

Hmmmm ..... not so good reward though. I expect somewhere closed to 7%. Amanah Saham Nasional Bhd (ASNB), awholly-owned subsidiary of Permodalan Nasional Berhad (PNB), today announced an income distribution of 6.35 sen per unit for Amanah Saham Wawasan 2020 (ASW2020) for the financial year ending Aug 31, 2010.

Ohhhhh noooooooo! Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak's administration has taken a politically risky manoeuvre by raising prices of three types of fossil fuels, sugar and cooking gas. Both RON95 and RON97 grade petrol and diesel prices will be raised by RM0.05 per litre, while liquified petroluem gas (LPG) will be raised by RM0.10 per kilogramme. Sugar prices will be raised by RM0.25 per kg. All price increases will take effect from midnight tonight. The breakdown of the new prices are: RON 95 grade petrol – RM1.85 per litre RON 97 grade petrol – RM2.10 per litre Diesel – RM1.75 per litre White refined coarse granulated sugar – RM1.90 per kg Liquified petroluem gas – RM1.85 per kg For cooking gas: (each cylinder) 10kg – from RM17.50 to RM18.50, RM1.00 hike 12kg – from RM21.00 to RM22.20, RM1.20 hike 14kg – from RM24.50 to RM25.90, RM1.40 hike It is learned that the Prime Minister's Department intends to regulate the prices of RON 97 through a managed float mechani...

Err ... the Govt has no money again? Govt to issue RM3bil sukuk PETALING JAYA: Malaysians will have another vehicle for savings and investment as the Government will be issuing RM3bil worth of Sukuk 1Malaysia 2010 on June 21. According to a press release from Bank Negara yesterday, those aged 21 and above who wish to subscribe to the sukuk may do so from May 20 to June 9. The minimum subscription is RM1,000 with a maximum of RM50,000 per subscriber. The sukuk, with a three-year tenure, offers annual returns of 5%. Profit payments would be made quarterly. “Allocation of Sukuk 1Malaysia 2010 will only take place after the close of the subscription period. All subscribers will be allocated with an amount less than or up to the amount subscribed, depending on the total number of subscribers and the total subscriptions received,†the central bank said. It added that the sukuk came with a resaleable feature providing flexibility for investors to sell and buy the instrument bef...

There are 2 kiosks located at Puchong where EPF members can now print statements and register for i-Akaun. RHB Easy Puchong No 20, Jalan Puteri 1/2, Dataran Puteri, 47100 Puchong, Selangor. Kiosk Operating Hours Days: Monday – Sunday (wow, this is rather convenient!) Time: 7.30 am – 9.00 pm Closed on second Saturday of every month Citibank Puchong 26, Jalan Puteri 1/1, Bandar Puteri, 47100 Puchong, Selangor. Kiosk Operating Hours Days: Mondays - Fridays Time: 9.30 am - 4.00 pm For details, visit EPF website.

I guess the government is trying hard to sell AS1M :) PNB, CIMB Unveils Online Funds Top Up Service At MSAM 2010 KUCHING, April 20 (Bernama) -- Permodalan Nasional Bhd and CIMB Bank on Tuesday unveiled CIMB Clicks Amanah Saham Nasional Bhd (ASNB) Funds Top Up Facility at the 11th Minggu Saham Amanah Malaysia (MSAM) here. The online facility allows all registered ASNB investors, who have a CIMB Clicks account to make additional investments in five fixed-price unit trust funds managed by ASNB. The five funds are Amanah Saham Bumiputera (ASB), Amanah Saham Malaysia (ASM) , Amanah Saham Didik (ASD), Amanah Saham Wawasan 2020 (ASW2020) and Amanah Saham 1Malaysia (AS 1Malaysia). "As the ASNB funds are very well received by the public, including many of CIMB customers. The bank feels that it can provide more value-added services to its customers by offering hassle-free online investment top up facility," PNB President and Group Chief Executive Tan Sri Hamad Kama ...

The tax relief on housing loan interest is restricted to a maximum of RM10,000, the Internal Revenue Board (IRB) said. In a statement, the IRB said the amount was deductible for each basis year for a period of three consecutive years of assessment from the date when the interest was first expended. To be eligible for the tax relief, an individual must be a Malaysian citizen and resident, the purchase of the residential property is limited to only one unit, the sale and purchase agreement executed between March 10 last year and Dec 31 this year and that the house must not be rented out. If there are more than one person registered as buyers of the house, the application for exemption can be made jointly but subject to a total limit of RM10,000. Further information can be obtained from the IRB website www.hasil.gov.my or its service centre at 1-300-88-3010. - Bernama Via MalaysiaKini

EPF to launch new housing loan scheme soon KUALA LUMPUR: EPF contributors should hold off using the money in their Account II to buy a house until the new scheme which would enable them to obtain a higher housing loan is implemented. Chief executive officer Tan Sri Azlan Zainol said while EPF was keen to launch the scheme as soon as possible it had to wait until the banks were ready to implement it. Source: The Star

THE 2009 tax-filing season for individuals has arrived. For many of us, April 30 will be just another day (perhaps accompanied by scrambling for our just-in-time filing) to settle our dues with the Inland Revenue Board by submitting the Form e-BE and paying any balance tax. Before clicking the button to complete the e-filing, take a second look at the figures keyed in. Is the amount of tax calculated the lowest it can be? Here are some tips on saving tax that would not get you in trouble with the law. 1. Know your income: What is taxable and what is not. Gone are the days when you agonise over the delay in receiving your Form EA from your employer. It is now a law for employers to issue the Form EA to their employees no later than the end of February. The key point to note is not all income in your Form EA is taxable! Scrutinise all the items in Form EA to see if there is any which should be tax-free. For example: Travelling allowances If you receive travelling allowance, up t...

Dividend-paying companies Personal Investments - By Ooi Kok Hwa Despite investing in profit-making companies, a lot of investors have been complaining that they are not getting the desired returns from the companies that they have invested in. One of the main reasons is that these companies usually pay very low dividends or no dividends to their investors. Hence, even though these companies make good profits from their businesses, they are not sharing the profits with their minority investors. Companies that pay good dividends to their investors imply that the major shareholders of these companies are willing to share their wealth with minority investors. Given that minority investors have no control over these companies, they have only two sources of returns from their investments, namely dividend returns and capital gains. If the companies refuse to reward their investors with good dividends, then investors need to make sure that they buy low and sell high in order to get capita...

Amanah Saham Nasional Bhd (ASNB) today announced an income distribution of 6.30 sen per unit for Amanah Saham Malaysia (ASM) for the financial year ended March 31, 2010. Last year, the government-owned fund manager declared an income distribution of 6.25 sen per unit, which was the lowest since its introduction in 2000. Source: BTimes

Not fair for the new shareholders. Should Maxis' current shareholders bear IPO costs? PETALING JAYA: Should existing shareholders of Maxis Bhd bear the cost of its initial public offering when the proceeds went to its selling shareholders and not into the company's coffers? That was the question that was being asked by several market observers following Maxis' recently released fourth quarter results. For the period, the company made a one-time charge of RM120mil largely related to IPO expenses – RM53mil for discount of shares issued to retail investors in relation to the IPO and RM24mil listing expenses (the remaining RM43mil involves higher finance costs which is not IPO related) – in the company's income statement. (Note: in the third quarter, it had made a charge of RM26 mil for IPO expenses.) As a result, the company's earnings was dragged down; profit for the fourth quarter was 18% lower at RM503mil compared to RM615mil in the preceding quarter. Consequen...

EPF declares 5.65 percent dividend rate for 2009

Not bad. Am expecting similar returns for ASW and ASM. ASNB Declares Dividend Of 7.30 Sen Per Unit For ASB KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 14 (Bernama) -- Amanah Saham Nasional Bhd (ASNB), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Permodalan Nasional Bhd (PNB), has announced an income distribution of 7.30 sen per unit and a bonus of 1.25 sen per unit for Skim Amanah Saham Bumiputera (ASB), for the financial year ending Dec 31, 2009. Last year, the government-owned fund manager declared an income distribution of 7.0 sen per unit and a bonus of 1.75 sen per unit. Via Bernama