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AKPK provides financial education materials on the proper use of credit and basic money management as well as tips on how to use credit responsibly.
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Make Prudent Financial Management A Way of Life.
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In the News
KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 17 — Malaysia registered 80,625 bankruptcies between 2015 and August 2019, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Liew Vui Keong told Parliament today.
Replying to Puncak Borneo MP (PH) Willie Mongin, Liew asserted that youths who are influenced by the latest trends made up the most cases as they typically overspend.
By age, the 35- to 44-year-old category accounted for the most with 28,296 cases, followed by 25- to 34-year-old band (20,461), 45- to 54-year-old (20,353), 55 and above (10,415), police and military personnel of undisclosed age (624); and those below 25 (476).
Men outnumbered women more than twice, with 56,173 versus the latter’s 24,452.
By race, Malays accounted for the majority of cases, with 45,147 or 56 per cent. They were followed by the Chinese at 20,914; Indians at 9,127; and others at 5,437.
The total number of bankrupts registered with the Insolvency Department was 300,908 at the time. Around 30,000 cases have been resolved.
To address the problem, Liew said the government is conducting education and awareness programmes through the Insolvency Department as well as Bank Negara’s Credit Counselling and Management Agency (AKPK).
“Through education, we can give awareness on bankruptcy to youths and students at higher education institutions to address this problem at the earliest stage. These programmes are meant to disseminate information, briefings and lectures on bankruptcy,” said Liew.
Touching on guarantors being dragged into bankruptcy by borrowers, Liew explained that the courts have to be fair to the banks and that it was difficult to prove that someone is a social guarantor.
Minister: Over 80,000 Malaysia...
Oct 17, 2019 | financialmanagement
KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 17 — Malaysia registered 80,625 bankruptcies between 2015 and August 2019, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Liew Vui Keong told Parliament today.
Replying to Puncak Borneo MP (PH) Willie Mongin, Liew asserted that youths who are influenced by the latest trends made up the most cases as they typically overspend.
By age, the 35- to 44-year-old category accounted for the most with 28,296 cases, followed by 25- to 34-year-old band (20,461), 45- to 54-year-old (20,353), 55 and above (10,415), police and military personnel of undisclosed age (624); and those below 25 (476).
Men outnumbered women more than twice, with 56,173 versus the latter’s 24,452.
By race, Malays accounted for the majority of cases, with 45,147 or 56 per cent. They were followed by the Chinese at 20,914; Indians at 9,127; and others at 5,437.
The total number of bankrupts registered with the Insolvency Department was 300,908 at the time. Around 30,000 cases have been resolved.
To address the problem, Liew said the government is conducting education and awareness programmes through the Insolvency Department as well as Bank Negara’s Credit Counselling and Management Agency (AKPK).
“Through education, we can give awareness on bankruptcy to youths and students at higher education institutions to address this problem at the earliest stage. These programmes are meant to disseminate information, briefings and lectures on bankruptcy,” said Liew.
Touching on guarantors being dragged into bankruptcy by borrowers, Liew explained that the courts have to be fair to the banks and that it was difficult to prove that someone is a social guarantor.
Oct 17, 2019 | financialmanagement
Read More
KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 17 — Malaysia registered 80,625 bankruptcies between 2015 and August 2019, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Liew Vui Keong told Parliament today.
Replying to Puncak Borneo MP (PH) Willie Mongin, Liew asserted that youths who are influenced by the latest trends made up the most cases as they typically overspend.
By age, the 35- to 44-year-old category accounted for the most with 28,296 cases, followed by 25- to 34-year-old band (20,461), 45- to 54-year-old (20,353), 55 and above (10,415), police and military personnel of undisclosed age (624); and those below 25 (476).
Men outnumbered women more than twice, with 56,173 versus the latter’s 24,452.
By race, Malays accounted for the majority of cases, with 45,147 or 56 per cent. They were followed by the Chinese at 20,914; Indians at 9,127; and others at 5,437.
The total number of bankrupts registered with the Insolvency Department was 300,908 at the time. Around 30,000 cases have been resolved.
To address the problem, Liew said the government is conducting education and awareness programmes through the Insolvency Department as well as Bank Negara’s Credit Counselling and Management Agency (AKPK).
“Through education, we can give awareness on bankruptcy to youths and students at higher education institutions to address this problem at the earliest stage. These programmes are meant to disseminate information, briefings and lectures on bankruptcy,” said Liew.
Touching on guarantors being dragged into bankruptcy by borrowers, Liew explained that the courts have to be fair to the banks and that it was difficult to prove that someone is a social guarantor.
SANDAKAN, Oct 14 -- Bank Negara Malaysia's (BNM) Financial Carnival over the weekend here has attracted nearly 10,000 visitors.
Its assistant governor, Abu Hassan Alshari Yahaya said the overwhelming response from the community indicates that the carnival was relevant in improving financial literacy among the people of Sabah.
Hence, the central bank plans to organise the carnival here again, he said in a statement today.
"The carnival complements the ongoing efforts by BNM and Credit Counselling and Debt Management Agency in promoting financial literacy among the people throughout the country.
"In line with the National Financial Literacy Strategy 2019-2023, the Financial Carnival is one of the initiatives carried out by BNM to increase public’s access to financial knowledge, products and services, as well as educate them on the importance of prudent financial management,” he said.
Launched by Sabah State Secretary Datuk Hashim Paijan, the two-day carnival recorded more than 1,400 financial transactions amounting to about RM18.5 million.
The inaugural carnival in Sabah's east coast attracted not only the residents of Sandakan, but also those from nearby districts such as Beluran, Kinabatangan and Tongod.
Themed "Your Financial Needs Matters", the carnival aimed at raising the public’s awareness on financial products and services, financial literacy and financial management capabilities with an emphasis on preferences of the local communities.
More than 35 organisations, consisting of financial service providers, as well as federal and state agencies showcased their products and services, as well as provide advisory on financial matters, including access to financing.
Several companies in collaboration with the Sabah Labour Department conducted open interview sessions for more than 350 vacancies.
Forums and interactive financial education sessions were also held, while the Royal Malaysian Police, Eastern Sabah Security Command and Royal Malaysian Navy provided briefing sessions on public security in Sandakan.
-- BERNAMA
Sandakan Financial Carnival at...
Oct 14, 2019 | financialmanagement
SANDAKAN, Oct 14 -- Bank Negara Malaysia's (BNM) Financial Carnival over the weekend here has attracted nearly 10,000 visitors.
Its assistant governor, Abu Hassan Alshari Yahaya said the overwhelming response from the community indicates that the carnival was relevant in improving financial literacy among the people of Sabah.
Hence, the central bank plans to organise the carnival here again, he said in a statement today.
"The carnival complements the ongoing efforts by BNM and Credit Counselling and Debt Management Agency in promoting financial literacy among the people throughout the country.
"In line with the National Financial Literacy Strategy 2019-2023, the Financial Carnival is one of the initiatives carried out by BNM to increase public’s access to financial knowledge, products and services, as well as educate them on the importance of prudent financial management,” he said.
Launched by Sabah State Secretary Datuk Hashim Paijan, the two-day carnival recorded more than 1,400 financial transactions amounting to about RM18.5 million.
The inaugural carnival in Sabah's east coast attracted not only the residents of Sandakan, but also those from nearby districts such as Beluran, Kinabatangan and Tongod.
Themed "Your Financial Needs Matters", the carnival aimed at raising the public’s awareness on financial products and services, financial literacy and financial management capabilities with an emphasis on preferences of the local communities.
More than 35 organisations, consisting of financial service providers, as well as federal and state agencies showcased their products and services, as well as provide advisory on financial matters, including access to financing.
Several companies in collaboration with the Sabah Labour Department conducted open interview sessions for more than 350 vacancies.
Forums and interactive financial education sessions were also held, while the Royal Malaysian Police, Eastern Sabah Security Command and Royal Malaysian Navy provided briefing sessions on public security in Sandakan.
-- BERNAMA
Oct 14, 2019 | financialmanagement
Read More
SANDAKAN, Oct 14 -- Bank Negara Malaysia's (BNM) Financial Carnival over the weekend here has attracted nearly 10,000 visitors.
Its assistant governor, Abu Hassan Alshari Yahaya said the overwhelming response from the community indicates that the carnival was relevant in improving financial literacy among the people of Sabah.
Hence, the central bank plans to organise the carnival here again, he said in a statement today.
"The carnival complements the ongoing efforts by BNM and Credit Counselling and Debt Management Agency in promoting financial literacy among the people throughout the country.
"In line with the National Financial Literacy Strategy 2019-2023, the Financial Carnival is one of the initiatives carried out by BNM to increase public’s access to financial knowledge, products and services, as well as educate them on the importance of prudent financial management,” he said.
Launched by Sabah State Secretary Datuk Hashim Paijan, the two-day carnival recorded more than 1,400 financial transactions amounting to about RM18.5 million.
The inaugural carnival in Sabah's east coast attracted not only the residents of Sandakan, but also those from nearby districts such as Beluran, Kinabatangan and Tongod.
Themed "Your Financial Needs Matters", the carnival aimed at raising the public’s awareness on financial products and services, financial literacy and financial management capabilities with an emphasis on preferences of the local communities.
More than 35 organisations, consisting of financial service providers, as well as federal and state agencies showcased their products and services, as well as provide advisory on financial matters, including access to financing.
Several companies in collaboration with the Sabah Labour Department conducted open interview sessions for more than 350 vacancies.
Forums and interactive financial education sessions were also held, while the Royal Malaysian Police, Eastern Sabah Security Command and Royal Malaysian Navy provided briefing sessions on public security in Sandakan.
-- BERNAMA
When you start earning, it is very important that you begin a saving and investing program.
The reason is that habits die hard and once you start spending more than you earn, trying to get out of debt will take a long time.
There have been many studies conducted to gauge if Malaysians have sufficient financial knowledge or are even currently saving enough for their future, especially when they retire.
Credit Counselling and Debt Management Agency’s (AKPK) chief executive officer Azaddin Ngah Tasir says that everyone should have a plan for their retirement as soon as they enter the workforce.
He cites a recent study by Bank Negara Malaysia that states 57% of Malaysians have a good understanding on the importance of financial stability.
He believes that there is still room to educate the youth, especially on how to save while managing their monthly expenditure. There are still many Malaysians who do not have enough savings upon their retirement.
Hong Leong Bank group managing director and CEO, Domenic Fuda, says that a survey the bank conducted in collaboration with iMoney, a financial comparison aggregator, indicates that 75% of the respondents rated their financial knowledge as low or average, and 68% believe they do not have enough savings.
Fuda says that most people think financial knowledge means knowing how to save and manage borrowings, but there is more to it than that. The sooner you grasp this concept, the sooner you can cultivate financially responsible habits which will enhance your future financial freedom.
It’s super important to distinguish between understanding the importance of financial planning versus understanding the method on how to earn, save, invest and preserving all that you have.
Savings alone used to be enough a long time ago, but this is no longer enough today. It’s all about staying well ahead of inflation. Savings at best allow you to hedge against inflation, meaning, nothing gained, nothing lost.
Thus, building wealth through investing is going to be the key to financial stability for your future.
Do read lots of articles about achieving financial freedom as well as guides on how, what and where to invest your money.
Happy saving and investing.
Why you should start financial...
Oct 10, 2019 | financialmanagement
When you start earning, it is very important that you begin a saving and investing program.
The reason is that habits die hard and once you start spending more than you earn, trying to get out of debt will take a long time.
There have been many studies conducted to gauge if Malaysians have sufficient financial knowledge or are even currently saving enough for their future, especially when they retire.
Credit Counselling and Debt Management Agency’s (AKPK) chief executive officer Azaddin Ngah Tasir says that everyone should have a plan for their retirement as soon as they enter the workforce.
He cites a recent study by Bank Negara Malaysia that states 57% of Malaysians have a good understanding on the importance of financial stability.
He believes that there is still room to educate the youth, especially on how to save while managing their monthly expenditure. There are still many Malaysians who do not have enough savings upon their retirement.
Hong Leong Bank group managing director and CEO, Domenic Fuda, says that a survey the bank conducted in collaboration with iMoney, a financial comparison aggregator, indicates that 75% of the respondents rated their financial knowledge as low or average, and 68% believe they do not have enough savings.
Fuda says that most people think financial knowledge means knowing how to save and manage borrowings, but there is more to it than that. The sooner you grasp this concept, the sooner you can cultivate financially responsible habits which will enhance your future financial freedom.
It’s super important to distinguish between understanding the importance of financial planning versus understanding the method on how to earn, save, invest and preserving all that you have.
Savings alone used to be enough a long time ago, but this is no longer enough today. It’s all about staying well ahead of inflation. Savings at best allow you to hedge against inflation, meaning, nothing gained, nothing lost.
Thus, building wealth through investing is going to be the key to financial stability for your future.
Do read lots of articles about achieving financial freedom as well as guides on how, what and where to invest your money.
Happy saving and investing.
Oct 10, 2019 | financialmanagement
Read More
When you start earning, it is very important that you begin a saving and investing program.
The reason is that habits die hard and once you start spending more than you earn, trying to get out of debt will take a long time.
There have been many studies conducted to gauge if Malaysians have sufficient financial knowledge or are even currently saving enough for their future, especially when they retire.
Credit Counselling and Debt Management Agency’s (AKPK) chief executive officer Azaddin Ngah Tasir says that everyone should have a plan for their retirement as soon as they enter the workforce.
He cites a recent study by Bank Negara Malaysia that states 57% of Malaysians have a good understanding on the importance of financial stability.
He believes that there is still room to educate the youth, especially on how to save while managing their monthly expenditure. There are still many Malaysians who do not have enough savings upon their retirement.
Hong Leong Bank group managing director and CEO, Domenic Fuda, says that a survey the bank conducted in collaboration with iMoney, a financial comparison aggregator, indicates that 75% of the respondents rated their financial knowledge as low or average, and 68% believe they do not have enough savings.
Fuda says that most people think financial knowledge means knowing how to save and manage borrowings, but there is more to it than that. The sooner you grasp this concept, the sooner you can cultivate financially responsible habits which will enhance your future financial freedom.
It’s super important to distinguish between understanding the importance of financial planning versus understanding the method on how to earn, save, invest and preserving all that you have.
Savings alone used to be enough a long time ago, but this is no longer enough today. It’s all about staying well ahead of inflation. Savings at best allow you to hedge against inflation, meaning, nothing gained, nothing lost.
Thus, building wealth through investing is going to be the key to financial stability for your future.
Do read lots of articles about achieving financial freedom as well as guides on how, what and where to invest your money.
Happy saving and investing.
KUALA LUMPUR: The Credit Counselling and Debt Management Agency (AKPK), in collaboration with the National Population and Family Development Board (LPPKN), has come up with an online pre-marriage module known as ‘’I Do You Do Duit Together’’ to help potential brides and bridegrooms to manage their finances after marriage.
Deputy Women, Family and Community Development Minister Hannah Yeoh said most newly-wed couples faced financial problems due to poor management of their finances.
She said this was apart from them refusing to listen to advice and ashamed to admit their debts that many found themselves in dire financial situation, leading them to live under the poverty level.
“Through the ‘I Do You Do Duit Together’ pre-marriage programme and module, we hope to provide advice and guidance on financial management to couples.
“It is an interactive online module where the couples only need to answer the questions provided at any time of their choice. The answers provided can be used as guidance for them to manage their finances after they are married,” she told reporters after launching the module here today.
She said the module could be accessed at the AKPK’s website at https://learn.akpk.org.my/courses/i-do-you-do-duit.
“So, potential brides and bridegrooms, they do not have to go anywhere to get financial advice. It’s all done online,” she added.
Yeoh said the online pre-marriage module was also aimed at educating potential brides and bridegrooms to understand their financial position and to not waste their money on wedding preparations to avoid being burdened with marriage debts.
Meanwhile, AKPK chief executive officer Azzaddin Ngah Tasir said a series of competitions will be held for 10 months beginning today for those who join the module.
Participants are only required to submit attractive slogans for the module, and to participate in the contest, they have to provide the certificate number of their module which they will be given after they have answered all the questions, he added. — Bernama
Pre-marriage module to help po...
Sep 15, 2019 | financialmanagement
KUALA LUMPUR: The Credit Counselling and Debt Management Agency (AKPK), in collaboration with the National Population and Family Development Board (LPPKN), has come up with an online pre-marriage module known as ‘’I Do You Do Duit Together’’ to help potential brides and bridegrooms to manage their finances after marriage.
Deputy Women, Family and Community Development Minister Hannah Yeoh said most newly-wed couples faced financial problems due to poor management of their finances.
She said this was apart from them refusing to listen to advice and ashamed to admit their debts that many found themselves in dire financial situation, leading them to live under the poverty level.
“Through the ‘I Do You Do Duit Together’ pre-marriage programme and module, we hope to provide advice and guidance on financial management to couples.
“It is an interactive online module where the couples only need to answer the questions provided at any time of their choice. The answers provided can be used as guidance for them to manage their finances after they are married,” she told reporters after launching the module here today.
She said the module could be accessed at the AKPK’s website at https://learn.akpk.org.my/courses/i-do-you-do-duit.
“So, potential brides and bridegrooms, they do not have to go anywhere to get financial advice. It’s all done online,” she added.
Yeoh said the online pre-marriage module was also aimed at educating potential brides and bridegrooms to understand their financial position and to not waste their money on wedding preparations to avoid being burdened with marriage debts.
Meanwhile, AKPK chief executive officer Azzaddin Ngah Tasir said a series of competitions will be held for 10 months beginning today for those who join the module.
Participants are only required to submit attractive slogans for the module, and to participate in the contest, they have to provide the certificate number of their module which they will be given after they have answered all the questions, he added. — Bernama
Sep 15, 2019 | financialmanagement
Read More
KUALA LUMPUR: The Credit Counselling and Debt Management Agency (AKPK), in collaboration with the National Population and Family Development Board (LPPKN), has come up with an online pre-marriage module known as ‘’I Do You Do Duit Together’’ to help potential brides and bridegrooms to manage their finances after marriage.
Deputy Women, Family and Community Development Minister Hannah Yeoh said most newly-wed couples faced financial problems due to poor management of their finances.
She said this was apart from them refusing to listen to advice and ashamed to admit their debts that many found themselves in dire financial situation, leading them to live under the poverty level.
“Through the ‘I Do You Do Duit Together’ pre-marriage programme and module, we hope to provide advice and guidance on financial management to couples.
“It is an interactive online module where the couples only need to answer the questions provided at any time of their choice. The answers provided can be used as guidance for them to manage their finances after they are married,” she told reporters after launching the module here today.
She said the module could be accessed at the AKPK’s website at https://learn.akpk.org.my/courses/i-do-you-do-duit.
“So, potential brides and bridegrooms, they do not have to go anywhere to get financial advice. It’s all done online,” she added.
Yeoh said the online pre-marriage module was also aimed at educating potential brides and bridegrooms to understand their financial position and to not waste their money on wedding preparations to avoid being burdened with marriage debts.
Meanwhile, AKPK chief executive officer Azzaddin Ngah Tasir said a series of competitions will be held for 10 months beginning today for those who join the module.
Participants are only required to submit attractive slogans for the module, and to participate in the contest, they have to provide the certificate number of their module which they will be given after they have answered all the questions, he added. — Bernama
KUALA LUMPUR: Hong Leong Bank dan Hong Leong Islamic Bank melancarkan insiatif HLB DuitSmart sebagai usaha untuk memberi penekanan terhadap kepentingan literasi kewangan.
HLB DuitSmart adalah platform literasi kewangan yang dilaksanakan bersama Agensi Kaunseling dan Pengurusan Kredit (AKPK) dan Universiti Malaysia (UM).
Pengarah Urusan dan Ketua Pegawai Eksekutif Kumpulannya, Domenic Fuda berkata, platform berkenaan adalah untuk memberi pengetahuan mengenai pengurusan kewangan dan menjadikan maklumat berkaitan lebih mudah diakses oleh rakyat negara ini.
Beliau berkata, berdasarkan tinjauan yang dijalankan secara dalam talian bersama iMoney mendapati 75 peratus rakyat negara ini menilai ilmu kewangan pada tahap rendah sehingga sederhana.
Malah, katanya, hanya 19 peratus individu mengekalkan skor kredit yang baik meskipun kebanyakannya mengatakan faham mengenai perkara itu.
“Sebagai institusi kewangan di Malaysia, kami terpanggil untuk melaksanakan tanggungjawab dalam menghubungkan jarak antara kesedaran dan pengetahuan hal ehwal pengurusan kewangan.
“Melalui HLB DuitSmart, kami akan memfokuskan kepada tiga teras iaitu Kesedaran, Bantuan dan Tindakan berhubung pengurusan kewangan ini,” katanya pada majlis pelancarannya di sini, baru-baru ini.
Hadir sama, Ketua Pegawai Eksekutif AKPK, Azaddin Ngah Tasir dan Naib Canselor UM, Datuk Dr Abdul Rahim Hashim.
HLB DuitSmart akan mengira dan menyediakan maklumat mengenai pengetahuan kewangan secara dalam talian, selain membolehkan rakyat Malaysia menyemak skor kredit masing-masing, menerusi usaha sama dengan iMoney mulai hari ini hingga akhir bulan.
Fuda berkata, dalam tinjauan yang sama, 68 peratus percaya secara umumnya mereka tidak mempunyai simpanan yang mencukupi dan 41 peratus tidak tahu di mana mereka boleh dapatkan bantuan.
“Kebanyakan orang menganggap pengetahuan kewangan bermaksud mengetahui cara menyimpan dan mengurus pinjaman, sedangkan ia lebih daripada itu.
“Lagi cepat konsep itu difahami, lebih cepat kita dapat menanam amalan kewangan bertanggungjawab yang akan meningkatkan kebebasan kewangan pada masa depan,” katanya.
HLB DuitSmart platform literas...
Sep 13, 2019 | financialmanagement
KUALA LUMPUR: Hong Leong Bank dan Hong Leong Islamic Bank melancarkan insiatif HLB DuitSmart sebagai usaha untuk memberi penekanan terhadap kepentingan literasi kewangan.
HLB DuitSmart adalah platform literasi kewangan yang dilaksanakan bersama Agensi Kaunseling dan Pengurusan Kredit (AKPK) dan Universiti Malaysia (UM).
Pengarah Urusan dan Ketua Pegawai Eksekutif Kumpulannya, Domenic Fuda berkata, platform berkenaan adalah untuk memberi pengetahuan mengenai pengurusan kewangan dan menjadikan maklumat berkaitan lebih mudah diakses oleh rakyat negara ini.
Beliau berkata, berdasarkan tinjauan yang dijalankan secara dalam talian bersama iMoney mendapati 75 peratus rakyat negara ini menilai ilmu kewangan pada tahap rendah sehingga sederhana.
Malah, katanya, hanya 19 peratus individu mengekalkan skor kredit yang baik meskipun kebanyakannya mengatakan faham mengenai perkara itu.
“Sebagai institusi kewangan di Malaysia, kami terpanggil untuk melaksanakan tanggungjawab dalam menghubungkan jarak antara kesedaran dan pengetahuan hal ehwal pengurusan kewangan.
“Melalui HLB DuitSmart, kami akan memfokuskan kepada tiga teras iaitu Kesedaran, Bantuan dan Tindakan berhubung pengurusan kewangan ini,” katanya pada majlis pelancarannya di sini, baru-baru ini.
Hadir sama, Ketua Pegawai Eksekutif AKPK, Azaddin Ngah Tasir dan Naib Canselor UM, Datuk Dr Abdul Rahim Hashim.
HLB DuitSmart akan mengira dan menyediakan maklumat mengenai pengetahuan kewangan secara dalam talian, selain membolehkan rakyat Malaysia menyemak skor kredit masing-masing, menerusi usaha sama dengan iMoney mulai hari ini hingga akhir bulan.
Fuda berkata, dalam tinjauan yang sama, 68 peratus percaya secara umumnya mereka tidak mempunyai simpanan yang mencukupi dan 41 peratus tidak tahu di mana mereka boleh dapatkan bantuan.
“Kebanyakan orang menganggap pengetahuan kewangan bermaksud mengetahui cara menyimpan dan mengurus pinjaman, sedangkan ia lebih daripada itu.
“Lagi cepat konsep itu difahami, lebih cepat kita dapat menanam amalan kewangan bertanggungjawab yang akan meningkatkan kebebasan kewangan pada masa depan,” katanya.
Sep 13, 2019 | financialmanagement
Read More
KUALA LUMPUR: Hong Leong Bank dan Hong Leong Islamic Bank melancarkan insiatif HLB DuitSmart sebagai usaha untuk memberi penekanan terhadap kepentingan literasi kewangan.
HLB DuitSmart adalah platform literasi kewangan yang dilaksanakan bersama Agensi Kaunseling dan Pengurusan Kredit (AKPK) dan Universiti Malaysia (UM).
Pengarah Urusan dan Ketua Pegawai Eksekutif Kumpulannya, Domenic Fuda berkata, platform berkenaan adalah untuk memberi pengetahuan mengenai pengurusan kewangan dan menjadikan maklumat berkaitan lebih mudah diakses oleh rakyat negara ini.
Beliau berkata, berdasarkan tinjauan yang dijalankan secara dalam talian bersama iMoney mendapati 75 peratus rakyat negara ini menilai ilmu kewangan pada tahap rendah sehingga sederhana.
Malah, katanya, hanya 19 peratus individu mengekalkan skor kredit yang baik meskipun kebanyakannya mengatakan faham mengenai perkara itu.
“Sebagai institusi kewangan di Malaysia, kami terpanggil untuk melaksanakan tanggungjawab dalam menghubungkan jarak antara kesedaran dan pengetahuan hal ehwal pengurusan kewangan.
“Melalui HLB DuitSmart, kami akan memfokuskan kepada tiga teras iaitu Kesedaran, Bantuan dan Tindakan berhubung pengurusan kewangan ini,” katanya pada majlis pelancarannya di sini, baru-baru ini.
Hadir sama, Ketua Pegawai Eksekutif AKPK, Azaddin Ngah Tasir dan Naib Canselor UM, Datuk Dr Abdul Rahim Hashim.
HLB DuitSmart akan mengira dan menyediakan maklumat mengenai pengetahuan kewangan secara dalam talian, selain membolehkan rakyat Malaysia menyemak skor kredit masing-masing, menerusi usaha sama dengan iMoney mulai hari ini hingga akhir bulan.
Fuda berkata, dalam tinjauan yang sama, 68 peratus percaya secara umumnya mereka tidak mempunyai simpanan yang mencukupi dan 41 peratus tidak tahu di mana mereka boleh dapatkan bantuan.
“Kebanyakan orang menganggap pengetahuan kewangan bermaksud mengetahui cara menyimpan dan mengurus pinjaman, sedangkan ia lebih daripada itu.
“Lagi cepat konsep itu difahami, lebih cepat kita dapat menanam amalan kewangan bertanggungjawab yang akan meningkatkan kebebasan kewangan pada masa depan,” katanya.
KUALA LUMPUR 6 Sept. - Setiap individu perlu mempunyai perancangan persaraan sejak memulakan alam pekerjaan, kata Agensi Kaunseling dan Pengurusan Kredit (AKPK).
Ketua Pegawai Eksekutifnya Azaddin Ngah Tasir berkata, berdasarkan kajian Bank Negara Malaysia tahun lepas, kira-kira 57 peratus rakyat Malaysia memahami pentingnya kewangan yang stabil.
“Namun, kami yakin masih ada ruang untuk mendidik anak muda, terutama mengenai cara menambung, yang boleh dilakukan berdasarkan kadar perbelanjaan. Masih ramai yang tidak mempunyai simpanan yang mencukupi selepas persaraan,” katanya selepas melancarkan Inisiatif DuitSmart Hong Leong Bank, di sini hari ini.
Beliau berkata program pengurusan hutang agensi itu mencatatkan peningkatan dari segi minat orang ramai untuk mengetahui secara mendalam kaedah yang perlu dilakukan untuk mendapat skor kredit yang baik.
“Kita menerima kira-kira 10,000 hingga 15,000 individu dari seluruh negara yang datang untuk mendapatkan khidmat nasihat. Ini satu perkara yang memberangsangkan kerana kami di AKPK akan membantu untuk mengelak seseorang itu daripada jatuh muflis,” katanya.
Mengenai harapan dalam Belanjawan 2020, beliau berharap kerajaan dapat menjadikan pendidikan kewangan sebagai mata pelajaran wajib di sekolah rendah sehingga ke universiti.
“Kita mengalami masalah kewangan sepanjang masa. Oleh itu, semua orang perlu memahami pentingnya kestabilan kewangan untuk masa depan,” katanya.
Pada majlis itu, Hong Leong Bank (HLB), AKPK and Universiti Malaya melancarkan inisiatif DuitSmart HLB dengan matlamat untuk mengukuhkan literasi kewangan.
Pengarah Urusan yang juga Ketua Pegawai Eksekutif Kumpulan HLB, Domenic Fuda berkata, berdasarkan kajian yang dijalankan dengan kerjasama iMoney 75 peratus daripada responden meletakkan tahap pengetahuan mengenai kewangan pada paras rendah hingga sederhana dan 68 peratus percaya secara umumnya mereka tidak mempunyai simpanan yang mencukupi.
“Kebanyakan orang menganggap pengetahuan kewangan bermakna mengetahui cara menyimpan dan mengurus pinjaman. sedangkan ia lebih daripada itu.
“Lagi cepat konsep itu difahami, lebih cepat kita dapat menanam amalan kewangan bertanggungjawab yang akan meningkatkan kebebasan kewangan pada masa depan,” katanya.
HLB DuitSmart akan mengira dan menyediakan maklumat mengenai pengetahuan kewangan secara dalam talian, selain membolehkan rakyat Malaysia menyemak skor kredit masing-masing, menerusi usaha sama dengan iMoney mulai hari ini hingga akhir bulan.- BERNAMA
Individu perlu rancang persara...
Sep 07, 2019 | financialmanagement
KUALA LUMPUR 6 Sept. - Setiap individu perlu mempunyai perancangan persaraan sejak memulakan alam pekerjaan, kata Agensi Kaunseling dan Pengurusan Kredit (AKPK).
Ketua Pegawai Eksekutifnya Azaddin Ngah Tasir berkata, berdasarkan kajian Bank Negara Malaysia tahun lepas, kira-kira 57 peratus rakyat Malaysia memahami pentingnya kewangan yang stabil.
“Namun, kami yakin masih ada ruang untuk mendidik anak muda, terutama mengenai cara menambung, yang boleh dilakukan berdasarkan kadar perbelanjaan. Masih ramai yang tidak mempunyai simpanan yang mencukupi selepas persaraan,” katanya selepas melancarkan Inisiatif DuitSmart Hong Leong Bank, di sini hari ini.
Beliau berkata program pengurusan hutang agensi itu mencatatkan peningkatan dari segi minat orang ramai untuk mengetahui secara mendalam kaedah yang perlu dilakukan untuk mendapat skor kredit yang baik.
“Kita menerima kira-kira 10,000 hingga 15,000 individu dari seluruh negara yang datang untuk mendapatkan khidmat nasihat. Ini satu perkara yang memberangsangkan kerana kami di AKPK akan membantu untuk mengelak seseorang itu daripada jatuh muflis,” katanya.
Mengenai harapan dalam Belanjawan 2020, beliau berharap kerajaan dapat menjadikan pendidikan kewangan sebagai mata pelajaran wajib di sekolah rendah sehingga ke universiti.
“Kita mengalami masalah kewangan sepanjang masa. Oleh itu, semua orang perlu memahami pentingnya kestabilan kewangan untuk masa depan,” katanya.
Pada majlis itu, Hong Leong Bank (HLB), AKPK and Universiti Malaya melancarkan inisiatif DuitSmart HLB dengan matlamat untuk mengukuhkan literasi kewangan.
Pengarah Urusan yang juga Ketua Pegawai Eksekutif Kumpulan HLB, Domenic Fuda berkata, berdasarkan kajian yang dijalankan dengan kerjasama iMoney 75 peratus daripada responden meletakkan tahap pengetahuan mengenai kewangan pada paras rendah hingga sederhana dan 68 peratus percaya secara umumnya mereka tidak mempunyai simpanan yang mencukupi.
“Kebanyakan orang menganggap pengetahuan kewangan bermakna mengetahui cara menyimpan dan mengurus pinjaman. sedangkan ia lebih daripada itu.
“Lagi cepat konsep itu difahami, lebih cepat kita dapat menanam amalan kewangan bertanggungjawab yang akan meningkatkan kebebasan kewangan pada masa depan,” katanya.
HLB DuitSmart akan mengira dan menyediakan maklumat mengenai pengetahuan kewangan secara dalam talian, selain membolehkan rakyat Malaysia menyemak skor kredit masing-masing, menerusi usaha sama dengan iMoney mulai hari ini hingga akhir bulan.- BERNAMA
Sep 07, 2019 | financialmanagement
Read More
KUALA LUMPUR 6 Sept. - Setiap individu perlu mempunyai perancangan persaraan sejak memulakan alam pekerjaan, kata Agensi Kaunseling dan Pengurusan Kredit (AKPK).
Ketua Pegawai Eksekutifnya Azaddin Ngah Tasir berkata, berdasarkan kajian Bank Negara Malaysia tahun lepas, kira-kira 57 peratus rakyat Malaysia memahami pentingnya kewangan yang stabil.
“Namun, kami yakin masih ada ruang untuk mendidik anak muda, terutama mengenai cara menambung, yang boleh dilakukan berdasarkan kadar perbelanjaan. Masih ramai yang tidak mempunyai simpanan yang mencukupi selepas persaraan,” katanya selepas melancarkan Inisiatif DuitSmart Hong Leong Bank, di sini hari ini.
Beliau berkata program pengurusan hutang agensi itu mencatatkan peningkatan dari segi minat orang ramai untuk mengetahui secara mendalam kaedah yang perlu dilakukan untuk mendapat skor kredit yang baik.
“Kita menerima kira-kira 10,000 hingga 15,000 individu dari seluruh negara yang datang untuk mendapatkan khidmat nasihat. Ini satu perkara yang memberangsangkan kerana kami di AKPK akan membantu untuk mengelak seseorang itu daripada jatuh muflis,” katanya.
Mengenai harapan dalam Belanjawan 2020, beliau berharap kerajaan dapat menjadikan pendidikan kewangan sebagai mata pelajaran wajib di sekolah rendah sehingga ke universiti.
“Kita mengalami masalah kewangan sepanjang masa. Oleh itu, semua orang perlu memahami pentingnya kestabilan kewangan untuk masa depan,” katanya.
Pada majlis itu, Hong Leong Bank (HLB), AKPK and Universiti Malaya melancarkan inisiatif DuitSmart HLB dengan matlamat untuk mengukuhkan literasi kewangan.
Pengarah Urusan yang juga Ketua Pegawai Eksekutif Kumpulan HLB, Domenic Fuda berkata, berdasarkan kajian yang dijalankan dengan kerjasama iMoney 75 peratus daripada responden meletakkan tahap pengetahuan mengenai kewangan pada paras rendah hingga sederhana dan 68 peratus percaya secara umumnya mereka tidak mempunyai simpanan yang mencukupi.
“Kebanyakan orang menganggap pengetahuan kewangan bermakna mengetahui cara menyimpan dan mengurus pinjaman. sedangkan ia lebih daripada itu.
“Lagi cepat konsep itu difahami, lebih cepat kita dapat menanam amalan kewangan bertanggungjawab yang akan meningkatkan kebebasan kewangan pada masa depan,” katanya.
HLB DuitSmart akan mengira dan menyediakan maklumat mengenai pengetahuan kewangan secara dalam talian, selain membolehkan rakyat Malaysia menyemak skor kredit masing-masing, menerusi usaha sama dengan iMoney mulai hari ini hingga akhir bulan.- BERNAMA
KUALA LUMPUR (Aug 29): Decent affordable housing is fundamental to the health and well-being of people, and to the smooth functioning of economies. Yet around the world, in developing and advanced economies alike, cities are struggling to meet that need.
In line with the country’s commitment to provide adequate and affordable housing for all income levels, particularly for the lower-income group, Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) Governor Datuk Nor Shamsiah Mohd Yunus (pictured) stressed that affordable housing is a shared responsibility and that the government is looking at how infrastructure providers could play their part in reducing the cost of houses.
“There are three components which make up the biggest proportion of the cost, namely land, construction and infrastructure,” she said in an exclusive interview with Bernama recently.
“There is a greater recognition now on the need to reduce costs. For land costs, the government is collaborating with the state government on mechanisms to reduce costs; and for construction costs — that is where the government is looking to leverage technology such as the IBS (Industrialised Building System) to bring down the cost,” she pointed out.
Explaining further, the Governor said “more importantly is to adopt strategies to raise income levels of households to make housing more affordable to the rakyat.”
Over the period 2007-2016, growth in house prices have outpaced household income.
Based on the median multiple approach, a house is deemed to be unaffordable if it is priced more than three times the annual household income. Malaysia’s is at 4.8 times.
“Let’s take the B40 for example. With their median monthly income of RM3,000, they can only afford houses up to around RM108,000 — three times their annual income.
“If you look at the 68 per cent of total unsold residential units, they are above RM300,000. That is why we also have to address the supply-demand mismatch.
“While there is demand for affordable housing, the developers are building outside the affordable reach of the majority of Malaysians,” said Nor Shamsiah.
Recently, the central bank expanded the eligibility criteria for those seeking to purchase property under the BNM’s RM1 billion Fund for Affordable Homes.
Effective Sept 1, 2019, individuals planning to apply for financing to purchase affordable houses would be eligible to do so if they have a maximum monthly household income of RM4,360, up 86 per cent from the earlier threshold income level of RM2,300 per month.
Plus, the maximum property price will be increased to RM300,000 from RM150,000. These new terms would help buyers from this income group to obtain financing to purchase their first house.
Meanwhile, the Governor reiterated the importance of the Guidelines on Responsible Financing.
“The Guidelines on Responsible Financing is still relevant because the main objective of these guidelines is to ensure that borrowers are able to afford the loan and can benefit from it.
“So, if a customer is taking the loan to buy a house, the customer should eventually own the house at the end of their loan tenure. Ultimately, the banks and the borrowers should also be responsible in the decision. It works both ways,” she added.
The central bank’s responsible financing guidelines are in place to protect the interest of borrowers by ensuring that those who borrow are within their capacity to honour the financial obligation until the end of the loan tenure and eventually own the property.
This is as opposed to merely buying the house upfront and then fall behind their obligations and end up losing the property.
On that note, the Governor said a lot is being done to educate consumers on areas relating to credit and financial management, especially through the Credit Counselling and Debt Management Agency, or commonly known as Agensi Kaunseling & Pengurusan Kredit (AKPK), which has gained greater traction.
AKPK is an agency established by BNM to help individuals take control of their finances through prudent financial management and financial education.
Financial literacy is among the factors that can contribute to sustainable and inclusive economic growth. It is the first line of defence for consumers to protect their rights when dealing with unfair market practices.
At the same time, to alleviate the public’s burden in coping with the rising cost of living, particularly for the M40 and B40 groups, the Governor said BNM has been emphasising the importance of improving technical skills, reforming the labour market and education system.
“There needs to be greater collaboration between training providers and the industry players to ensure Malaysia produces graduates with the right skills,” said Nor Shamsiah.
During the interview, the Governor also explained at length several other key issues pertaining to the country’s economic growth, the banking industry, the vital need to increase consumer awareness, as well as the importance of education, reskilling and upskilling in order to stay relevant in a challenging and constantly changing economy.
Affordable housing a shared re...
Aug 30, 2019 | financialmanagement
KUALA LUMPUR (Aug 29): Decent affordable housing is fundamental to the health and well-being of people, and to the smooth functioning of economies. Yet around the world, in developing and advanced economies alike, cities are struggling to meet that need.
In line with the country’s commitment to provide adequate and affordable housing for all income levels, particularly for the lower-income group, Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) Governor Datuk Nor Shamsiah Mohd Yunus (pictured) stressed that affordable housing is a shared responsibility and that the government is looking at how infrastructure providers could play their part in reducing the cost of houses.
“There are three components which make up the biggest proportion of the cost, namely land, construction and infrastructure,” she said in an exclusive interview with Bernama recently.
“There is a greater recognition now on the need to reduce costs. For land costs, the government is collaborating with the state government on mechanisms to reduce costs; and for construction costs — that is where the government is looking to leverage technology such as the IBS (Industrialised Building System) to bring down the cost,” she pointed out.
Explaining further, the Governor said “more importantly is to adopt strategies to raise income levels of households to make housing more affordable to the rakyat.”
Over the period 2007-2016, growth in house prices have outpaced household income.
Based on the median multiple approach, a house is deemed to be unaffordable if it is priced more than three times the annual household income. Malaysia’s is at 4.8 times.
“Let’s take the B40 for example. With their median monthly income of RM3,000, they can only afford houses up to around RM108,000 — three times their annual income.
“If you look at the 68 per cent of total unsold residential units, they are above RM300,000. That is why we also have to address the supply-demand mismatch.
“While there is demand for affordable housing, the developers are building outside the affordable reach of the majority of Malaysians,” said Nor Shamsiah.
Recently, the central bank expanded the eligibility criteria for those seeking to purchase property under the BNM’s RM1 billion Fund for Affordable Homes.
Effective Sept 1, 2019, individuals planning to apply for financing to purchase affordable houses would be eligible to do so if they have a maximum monthly household income of RM4,360, up 86 per cent from the earlier threshold income level of RM2,300 per month.
Plus, the maximum property price will be increased to RM300,000 from RM150,000. These new terms would help buyers from this income group to obtain financing to purchase their first house.
Meanwhile, the Governor reiterated the importance of the Guidelines on Responsible Financing.
“The Guidelines on Responsible Financing is still relevant because the main objective of these guidelines is to ensure that borrowers are able to afford the loan and can benefit from it.
“So, if a customer is taking the loan to buy a house, the customer should eventually own the house at the end of their loan tenure. Ultimately, the banks and the borrowers should also be responsible in the decision. It works both ways,” she added.
The central bank’s responsible financing guidelines are in place to protect the interest of borrowers by ensuring that those who borrow are within their capacity to honour the financial obligation until the end of the loan tenure and eventually own the property.
This is as opposed to merely buying the house upfront and then fall behind their obligations and end up losing the property.
On that note, the Governor said a lot is being done to educate consumers on areas relating to credit and financial management, especially through the Credit Counselling and Debt Management Agency, or commonly known as Agensi Kaunseling & Pengurusan Kredit (AKPK), which has gained greater traction.
AKPK is an agency established by BNM to help individuals take control of their finances through prudent financial management and financial education.
Financial literacy is among the factors that can contribute to sustainable and inclusive economic growth. It is the first line of defence for consumers to protect their rights when dealing with unfair market practices.
At the same time, to alleviate the public’s burden in coping with the rising cost of living, particularly for the M40 and B40 groups, the Governor said BNM has been emphasising the importance of improving technical skills, reforming the labour market and education system.
“There needs to be greater collaboration between training providers and the industry players to ensure Malaysia produces graduates with the right skills,” said Nor Shamsiah.
During the interview, the Governor also explained at length several other key issues pertaining to the country’s economic growth, the banking industry, the vital need to increase consumer awareness, as well as the importance of education, reskilling and upskilling in order to stay relevant in a challenging and constantly changing economy.
Aug 30, 2019 | financialmanagement
Read More
KUALA LUMPUR (Aug 29): Decent affordable housing is fundamental to the health and well-being of people, and to the smooth functioning of economies. Yet around the world, in developing and advanced economies alike, cities are struggling to meet that need.
In line with the country’s commitment to provide adequate and affordable housing for all income levels, particularly for the lower-income group, Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) Governor Datuk Nor Shamsiah Mohd Yunus (pictured) stressed that affordable housing is a shared responsibility and that the government is looking at how infrastructure providers could play their part in reducing the cost of houses.
“There are three components which make up the biggest proportion of the cost, namely land, construction and infrastructure,” she said in an exclusive interview with Bernama recently.
“There is a greater recognition now on the need to reduce costs. For land costs, the government is collaborating with the state government on mechanisms to reduce costs; and for construction costs — that is where the government is looking to leverage technology such as the IBS (Industrialised Building System) to bring down the cost,” she pointed out.
Explaining further, the Governor said “more importantly is to adopt strategies to raise income levels of households to make housing more affordable to the rakyat.”
Over the period 2007-2016, growth in house prices have outpaced household income.
Based on the median multiple approach, a house is deemed to be unaffordable if it is priced more than three times the annual household income. Malaysia’s is at 4.8 times.
“Let’s take the B40 for example. With their median monthly income of RM3,000, they can only afford houses up to around RM108,000 — three times their annual income.
“If you look at the 68 per cent of total unsold residential units, they are above RM300,000. That is why we also have to address the supply-demand mismatch.
“While there is demand for affordable housing, the developers are building outside the affordable reach of the majority of Malaysians,” said Nor Shamsiah.
Recently, the central bank expanded the eligibility criteria for those seeking to purchase property under the BNM’s RM1 billion Fund for Affordable Homes.
Effective Sept 1, 2019, individuals planning to apply for financing to purchase affordable houses would be eligible to do so if they have a maximum monthly household income of RM4,360, up 86 per cent from the earlier threshold income level of RM2,300 per month.
Plus, the maximum property price will be increased to RM300,000 from RM150,000. These new terms would help buyers from this income group to obtain financing to purchase their first house.
Meanwhile, the Governor reiterated the importance of the Guidelines on Responsible Financing.
“The Guidelines on Responsible Financing is still relevant because the main objective of these guidelines is to ensure that borrowers are able to afford the loan and can benefit from it.
“So, if a customer is taking the loan to buy a house, the customer should eventually own the house at the end of their loan tenure. Ultimately, the banks and the borrowers should also be responsible in the decision. It works both ways,” she added.
The central bank’s responsible financing guidelines are in place to protect the interest of borrowers by ensuring that those who borrow are within their capacity to honour the financial obligation until the end of the loan tenure and eventually own the property.
This is as opposed to merely buying the house upfront and then fall behind their obligations and end up losing the property.
On that note, the Governor said a lot is being done to educate consumers on areas relating to credit and financial management, especially through the Credit Counselling and Debt Management Agency, or commonly known as Agensi Kaunseling & Pengurusan Kredit (AKPK), which has gained greater traction.
AKPK is an agency established by BNM to help individuals take control of their finances through prudent financial management and financial education.
Financial literacy is among the factors that can contribute to sustainable and inclusive economic growth. It is the first line of defence for consumers to protect their rights when dealing with unfair market practices.
At the same time, to alleviate the public’s burden in coping with the rising cost of living, particularly for the M40 and B40 groups, the Governor said BNM has been emphasising the importance of improving technical skills, reforming the labour market and education system.
“There needs to be greater collaboration between training providers and the industry players to ensure Malaysia produces graduates with the right skills,” said Nor Shamsiah.
During the interview, the Governor also explained at length several other key issues pertaining to the country’s economic growth, the banking industry, the vital need to increase consumer awareness, as well as the importance of education, reskilling and upskilling in order to stay relevant in a challenging and constantly changing economy.
Only 24% can survive up to 3 months with own savings and only 10% can remain unemployed within 6 months
By AZREEN HANI / Pic By HUSSEIN SHAHARUDDIN
FIFTY percent of Malaysians admitted to having difficulties to raise RM1,000 for emergencies. One in five working adults said they did not save in the past six months. Three in 10 individuals have to borrow money to buy basic needs.
Many are burdened with huge debts. Cases of loan defaults have been a concern with thousands have been declared bankrupt.
If these statistics are not worrying enough, according to a Credit Counselling and Debt Management Agency (AKPK) survey last year, only 24% could survive up to three months with their own savings and only 10% could remain unemployed within six months.
If these gloomy figures do not rock the concerns of many Malaysians, the police’s recent announcement that Malaysia lost up to RM2 billion annually due to telecommunications scams and e-commerce frauds would make many stand up.
The widespread incidents of such thefts and how easily victims are duped by these criminals have triggered alarm bells on the susceptibility of the public to such cons.
Many have lost their life savings to promises of fast cash and instant wealth despite repeated warnings by the authorities.
To address the problem, the government has initiated the National Strategy for Financial Literacy 2019-2023, a framework aimed to improve financial literacy across all segments of the society.
According to studies by the OECD International Network on Financial Education, AKPK and the Malaysian Financial Planning Council between 2015 and 2018, the financial literacy level among Malaysians has yet to reach a satisfactory standard.
The AKPK Financial Behaviour Survey 2018 — which focused on the financial behaviour of Malaysian working adults in terms of their spending, savings and debt management — also revealed that there are areas which need to be enhanced for Malaysians’ financial wellbeing.
“It is important for us to promote good money management among the public. It’s our mandate to make prudent financial management a way of life,” AKPK GM for the operations division Nor Fazleen Zakaria (picture) told The Malaysian Reserve.
Nor Fazleen said Malaysians in general know they are supposed to budget, manage their finances and be disciplined in terms of lifestyle.
She said what is worrying is some individuals are not planning their finances and are buying too frequently.
“I know in this age and time there are many distractions and the desire to keep up with the lifestyle, but ultimately, you have to decide whether your purchase will impact you financially or not.
“What’s concerning is the fact that sometimes people just don’t plan at all. That’s wrong. That behaviour is something we (AKPK) want to correct and inculcate since young,” she said.
National Strategy for Financial Literacy
The National Strategy for financial literacy launched by Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad last month outlines five main plans to equip Malaysians with the knowledge to make informed financial decisions and nurture healthy attitudes in financial management.
Dr Mahathir said the National Strategy supports the government’s aspiration for shared prosperity by ensuring that Malaysians are empowered with the right knowledge and skills to confidently make responsible financial decisions at every stage of their life.
“It is imperative that financial education is accessible to Malaysians across all ages and life stages, and this can only be achieved by working together,” he said.
Financial Education Network co-chairs, Bank Negara Malaysia governor Datuk Nor Shamsiah Mohd Yunus and Securities Commission Malaysia chairman Datuk Syed Zaid Albar, stressed that improving financial literacy across all segments of society requires a systematic, sustained and coordinated approach that focuses on engendering long-term behavioural change.
“The call to action to enable Malaysians to better cope with greater uncertainty and financial complexity has never been timelier. We all play a crucial role in promoting the financial literacy and capability of current and future generations,” they said.
With the strategy, Nor Fazleen said AKPK will be able to leverage on its partners to conduct more outreach programmes as they are tasked to focus on financial education for adults.
“The strategy provides a structured framework on what we need to do, the type of reach we can aim for and what kind of messages we are sending out to the public,” she explained.
“We do a lot of outreach programmes with government agencies and universities — and as the Education Ministry is also involved, we can work together to ensure that not only students, but educators (too) would be equipped with good financial skills, so it can be taught to the young as well.”
Why Financial Literacy Matters
According to the National Strategy, financially literate individuals make informed financial decisions throughout their life and lead to sustained improvements in their standard of living.
Financially capable households interact responsibly with financial service providers, which in turn builds financial resilience.
The rise in cases of bankruptcy among working adults — especially around the ages of 25-40 — is something that could be prevented, said Nor Fazleen.
“At this age, having financial literacy is a living skill not only for the young, but also older generations,” she stressed.
“For AKPK, we offer a financial education programme that is designed and catered to all life stages, from young to retirement age. Apart from that, we offer counselling and debt management programmes as well, especially to those who are facing financial problems,” she said.
For example, AKPK’s module for tertiary education focuses on preparation for graduates before entering the workforce. Meanwhile for working adults, the module encompasses the right types of investments and how to boost their retirement portfolio, among others.
“That’s why acquiring literacy is a continuous process. What more with various challenges each day,” Nor Fazleen said.
Nor Fazleen noted that despite various campaigns and the authorities’ warnings on financial scams, many including professionals still fall victim due to the lack of awareness and inevitable skills to face it.
“It is alarming that those scam activities target people who are close to or in retirement age because they have a certain amount of savings in the EPF (Employees Provident Fund),” she said.
She reminded the public to not be deceived by those who claim to be AKPK agents.
“We are doing our services for free, so please do not engage third party agents. Sometimes, they have your data and ask (for) 10% out of your outstanding loans.
“AKPK does not look for customers, one should engage with us and we will provide our consultations and services for free,” she added.
Malaysians’ Financial Behaviour
AKPK’s financial behaviour survey on Malaysian working adults also revealed that financial behaviour is at 7.02 points out of 10 points, which is rather satisfactory.
However, for the wellbeing index, the survey showed Malaysians only scored 6.21 points.
“It is not something that we should be satisfied (with), although it means we are okay, we have to empower ourselves more,” said Nor Fazleen.
Financial problems is cited as one of the contributors to bad wellbeing.
“We don’t want to have bad wellbeing just because we are not managing our money well.
“Interestingly, we found that people with a lower income are happier despite the cost of living,” she said The survey also found that high pay does not necessarily correlate with happiness.
“Even though your pay is meagre, if you are not prone to any lifestyle issues or live within your means, you tend to score better in the wellbeing index. Wellbeing does not mean you have to make more, but (it’s) how you manage it,” she said.
The other aspect of financial wellbeing is debt management. According to Nor Fazleen, one with a higher pay would still have financial problems if the person tends to over-borrow, compared to someone who has lesser pay, but with limited debt.
“It is important that as a consumer, we are empowered, we know what is right or what is wrong, and we make the right financial decision.
“To be empowered, we need knowledge. So, seek knowledge — because AKPK has it when it comes to financial literacy. Everybody has to play a role, individually. The employers and the ecosystem should be supported too,” she said.
When financial knowledge alone...
Aug 14, 2019 | financialmanagement
Only 24% can survive up to 3 months with own savings and only 10% can remain unemployed within 6 months
By AZREEN HANI / Pic By HUSSEIN SHAHARUDDIN
FIFTY percent of Malaysians admitted to having difficulties to raise RM1,000 for emergencies. One in five working adults said they did not save in the past six months. Three in 10 individuals have to borrow money to buy basic needs.
Many are burdened with huge debts. Cases of loan defaults have been a concern with thousands have been declared bankrupt.
If these statistics are not worrying enough, according to a Credit Counselling and Debt Management Agency (AKPK) survey last year, only 24% could survive up to three months with their own savings and only 10% could remain unemployed within six months.
If these gloomy figures do not rock the concerns of many Malaysians, the police’s recent announcement that Malaysia lost up to RM2 billion annually due to telecommunications scams and e-commerce frauds would make many stand up.
The widespread incidents of such thefts and how easily victims are duped by these criminals have triggered alarm bells on the susceptibility of the public to such cons.
Many have lost their life savings to promises of fast cash and instant wealth despite repeated warnings by the authorities.
To address the problem, the government has initiated the National Strategy for Financial Literacy 2019-2023, a framework aimed to improve financial literacy across all segments of the society.
According to studies by the OECD International Network on Financial Education, AKPK and the Malaysian Financial Planning Council between 2015 and 2018, the financial literacy level among Malaysians has yet to reach a satisfactory standard.
The AKPK Financial Behaviour Survey 2018 — which focused on the financial behaviour of Malaysian working adults in terms of their spending, savings and debt management — also revealed that there are areas which need to be enhanced for Malaysians’ financial wellbeing.
“It is important for us to promote good money management among the public. It’s our mandate to make prudent financial management a way of life,” AKPK GM for the operations division Nor Fazleen Zakaria (picture) told The Malaysian Reserve.
Nor Fazleen said Malaysians in general know they are supposed to budget, manage their finances and be disciplined in terms of lifestyle.
She said what is worrying is some individuals are not planning their finances and are buying too frequently.
“I know in this age and time there are many distractions and the desire to keep up with the lifestyle, but ultimately, you have to decide whether your purchase will impact you financially or not.
“What’s concerning is the fact that sometimes people just don’t plan at all. That’s wrong. That behaviour is something we (AKPK) want to correct and inculcate since young,” she said.
National Strategy for Financial Literacy
The National Strategy for financial literacy launched by Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad last month outlines five main plans to equip Malaysians with the knowledge to make informed financial decisions and nurture healthy attitudes in financial management.
Dr Mahathir said the National Strategy supports the government’s aspiration for shared prosperity by ensuring that Malaysians are empowered with the right knowledge and skills to confidently make responsible financial decisions at every stage of their life.
“It is imperative that financial education is accessible to Malaysians across all ages and life stages, and this can only be achieved by working together,” he said.
Financial Education Network co-chairs, Bank Negara Malaysia governor Datuk Nor Shamsiah Mohd Yunus and Securities Commission Malaysia chairman Datuk Syed Zaid Albar, stressed that improving financial literacy across all segments of society requires a systematic, sustained and coordinated approach that focuses on engendering long-term behavioural change.
“The call to action to enable Malaysians to better cope with greater uncertainty and financial complexity has never been timelier. We all play a crucial role in promoting the financial literacy and capability of current and future generations,” they said.
With the strategy, Nor Fazleen said AKPK will be able to leverage on its partners to conduct more outreach programmes as they are tasked to focus on financial education for adults.
“The strategy provides a structured framework on what we need to do, the type of reach we can aim for and what kind of messages we are sending out to the public,” she explained.
“We do a lot of outreach programmes with government agencies and universities — and as the Education Ministry is also involved, we can work together to ensure that not only students, but educators (too) would be equipped with good financial skills, so it can be taught to the young as well.”
Why Financial Literacy Matters
According to the National Strategy, financially literate individuals make informed financial decisions throughout their life and lead to sustained improvements in their standard of living.
Financially capable households interact responsibly with financial service providers, which in turn builds financial resilience.
The rise in cases of bankruptcy among working adults — especially around the ages of 25-40 — is something that could be prevented, said Nor Fazleen.
“At this age, having financial literacy is a living skill not only for the young, but also older generations,” she stressed.
“For AKPK, we offer a financial education programme that is designed and catered to all life stages, from young to retirement age. Apart from that, we offer counselling and debt management programmes as well, especially to those who are facing financial problems,” she said.
For example, AKPK’s module for tertiary education focuses on preparation for graduates before entering the workforce. Meanwhile for working adults, the module encompasses the right types of investments and how to boost their retirement portfolio, among others.
“That’s why acquiring literacy is a continuous process. What more with various challenges each day,” Nor Fazleen said.
Nor Fazleen noted that despite various campaigns and the authorities’ warnings on financial scams, many including professionals still fall victim due to the lack of awareness and inevitable skills to face it.
“It is alarming that those scam activities target people who are close to or in retirement age because they have a certain amount of savings in the EPF (Employees Provident Fund),” she said.
She reminded the public to not be deceived by those who claim to be AKPK agents.
“We are doing our services for free, so please do not engage third party agents. Sometimes, they have your data and ask (for) 10% out of your outstanding loans.
“AKPK does not look for customers, one should engage with us and we will provide our consultations and services for free,” she added.
Malaysians’ Financial Behaviour
AKPK’s financial behaviour survey on Malaysian working adults also revealed that financial behaviour is at 7.02 points out of 10 points, which is rather satisfactory.
However, for the wellbeing index, the survey showed Malaysians only scored 6.21 points.
“It is not something that we should be satisfied (with), although it means we are okay, we have to empower ourselves more,” said Nor Fazleen.
Financial problems is cited as one of the contributors to bad wellbeing.
“We don’t want to have bad wellbeing just because we are not managing our money well.
“Interestingly, we found that people with a lower income are happier despite the cost of living,” she said The survey also found that high pay does not necessarily correlate with happiness.
“Even though your pay is meagre, if you are not prone to any lifestyle issues or live within your means, you tend to score better in the wellbeing index. Wellbeing does not mean you have to make more, but (it’s) how you manage it,” she said.
The other aspect of financial wellbeing is debt management. According to Nor Fazleen, one with a higher pay would still have financial problems if the person tends to over-borrow, compared to someone who has lesser pay, but with limited debt.
“It is important that as a consumer, we are empowered, we know what is right or what is wrong, and we make the right financial decision.
“To be empowered, we need knowledge. So, seek knowledge — because AKPK has it when it comes to financial literacy. Everybody has to play a role, individually. The employers and the ecosystem should be supported too,” she said.
Aug 14, 2019 | financialmanagement
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Only 24% can survive up to 3 months with own savings and only 10% can remain unemployed within 6 months
By AZREEN HANI / Pic By HUSSEIN SHAHARUDDIN
FIFTY percent of Malaysians admitted to having difficulties to raise RM1,000 for emergencies. One in five working adults said they did not save in the past six months. Three in 10 individuals have to borrow money to buy basic needs.
Many are burdened with huge debts. Cases of loan defaults have been a concern with thousands have been declared bankrupt.
If these statistics are not worrying enough, according to a Credit Counselling and Debt Management Agency (AKPK) survey last year, only 24% could survive up to three months with their own savings and only 10% could remain unemployed within six months.
If these gloomy figures do not rock the concerns of many Malaysians, the police’s recent announcement that Malaysia lost up to RM2 billion annually due to telecommunications scams and e-commerce frauds would make many stand up.
The widespread incidents of such thefts and how easily victims are duped by these criminals have triggered alarm bells on the susceptibility of the public to such cons.
Many have lost their life savings to promises of fast cash and instant wealth despite repeated warnings by the authorities.
To address the problem, the government has initiated the National Strategy for Financial Literacy 2019-2023, a framework aimed to improve financial literacy across all segments of the society.
According to studies by the OECD International Network on Financial Education, AKPK and the Malaysian Financial Planning Council between 2015 and 2018, the financial literacy level among Malaysians has yet to reach a satisfactory standard.
The AKPK Financial Behaviour Survey 2018 — which focused on the financial behaviour of Malaysian working adults in terms of their spending, savings and debt management — also revealed that there are areas which need to be enhanced for Malaysians’ financial wellbeing.
“It is important for us to promote good money management among the public. It’s our mandate to make prudent financial management a way of life,” AKPK GM for the operations division Nor Fazleen Zakaria (picture) told The Malaysian Reserve.
Nor Fazleen said Malaysians in general know they are supposed to budget, manage their finances and be disciplined in terms of lifestyle.
She said what is worrying is some individuals are not planning their finances and are buying too frequently.
“I know in this age and time there are many distractions and the desire to keep up with the lifestyle, but ultimately, you have to decide whether your purchase will impact you financially or not.
“What’s concerning is the fact that sometimes people just don’t plan at all. That’s wrong. That behaviour is something we (AKPK) want to correct and inculcate since young,” she said.
National Strategy for Financial Literacy
The National Strategy for financial literacy launched by Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad last month outlines five main plans to equip Malaysians with the knowledge to make informed financial decisions and nurture healthy attitudes in financial management.
Dr Mahathir said the National Strategy supports the government’s aspiration for shared prosperity by ensuring that Malaysians are empowered with the right knowledge and skills to confidently make responsible financial decisions at every stage of their life.
“It is imperative that financial education is accessible to Malaysians across all ages and life stages, and this can only be achieved by working together,” he said.
Financial Education Network co-chairs, Bank Negara Malaysia governor Datuk Nor Shamsiah Mohd Yunus and Securities Commission Malaysia chairman Datuk Syed Zaid Albar, stressed that improving financial literacy across all segments of society requires a systematic, sustained and coordinated approach that focuses on engendering long-term behavioural change.
“The call to action to enable Malaysians to better cope with greater uncertainty and financial complexity has never been timelier. We all play a crucial role in promoting the financial literacy and capability of current and future generations,” they said.
With the strategy, Nor Fazleen said AKPK will be able to leverage on its partners to conduct more outreach programmes as they are tasked to focus on financial education for adults.
“The strategy provides a structured framework on what we need to do, the type of reach we can aim for and what kind of messages we are sending out to the public,” she explained.
“We do a lot of outreach programmes with government agencies and universities — and as the Education Ministry is also involved, we can work together to ensure that not only students, but educators (too) would be equipped with good financial skills, so it can be taught to the young as well.”
Why Financial Literacy Matters
According to the National Strategy, financially literate individuals make informed financial decisions throughout their life and lead to sustained improvements in their standard of living.
Financially capable households interact responsibly with financial service providers, which in turn builds financial resilience.
The rise in cases of bankruptcy among working adults — especially around the ages of 25-40 — is something that could be prevented, said Nor Fazleen.
“At this age, having financial literacy is a living skill not only for the young, but also older generations,” she stressed.
“For AKPK, we offer a financial education programme that is designed and catered to all life stages, from young to retirement age. Apart from that, we offer counselling and debt management programmes as well, especially to those who are facing financial problems,” she said.
For example, AKPK’s module for tertiary education focuses on preparation for graduates before entering the workforce. Meanwhile for working adults, the module encompasses the right types of investments and how to boost their retirement portfolio, among others.
“That’s why acquiring literacy is a continuous process. What more with various challenges each day,” Nor Fazleen said.
Nor Fazleen noted that despite various campaigns and the authorities’ warnings on financial scams, many including professionals still fall victim due to the lack of awareness and inevitable skills to face it.
“It is alarming that those scam activities target people who are close to or in retirement age because they have a certain amount of savings in the EPF (Employees Provident Fund),” she said.
She reminded the public to not be deceived by those who claim to be AKPK agents.
“We are doing our services for free, so please do not engage third party agents. Sometimes, they have your data and ask (for) 10% out of your outstanding loans.
“AKPK does not look for customers, one should engage with us and we will provide our consultations and services for free,” she added.
Malaysians’ Financial Behaviour
AKPK’s financial behaviour survey on Malaysian working adults also revealed that financial behaviour is at 7.02 points out of 10 points, which is rather satisfactory.
However, for the wellbeing index, the survey showed Malaysians only scored 6.21 points.
“It is not something that we should be satisfied (with), although it means we are okay, we have to empower ourselves more,” said Nor Fazleen.
Financial problems is cited as one of the contributors to bad wellbeing.
“We don’t want to have bad wellbeing just because we are not managing our money well.
“Interestingly, we found that people with a lower income are happier despite the cost of living,” she said The survey also found that high pay does not necessarily correlate with happiness.
“Even though your pay is meagre, if you are not prone to any lifestyle issues or live within your means, you tend to score better in the wellbeing index. Wellbeing does not mean you have to make more, but (it’s) how you manage it,” she said.
The other aspect of financial wellbeing is debt management. According to Nor Fazleen, one with a higher pay would still have financial problems if the person tends to over-borrow, compared to someone who has lesser pay, but with limited debt.
“It is important that as a consumer, we are empowered, we know what is right or what is wrong, and we make the right financial decision.
“To be empowered, we need knowledge. So, seek knowledge — because AKPK has it when it comes to financial literacy. Everybody has to play a role, individually. The employers and the ecosystem should be supported too,” she said.
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Taking a personal loan is not as simple as ABC. There are many aspects to consider before applying for one. This article will help you decide whether or not taking a personal loan is a good idea when you just started working.
Firstly, let’s start with its definition. Cambridge dictionary defines personal loan as money that you borrow from a bank or other financial institutions for your personal use rather than business.
It sounds harmless but the reality can be scary.
A 2015 survey by Asian Institute of Finance (AIF) involving more than 1,000 young professionals aged 20 to 33 years old revealed that while 38% of the respondents had applied for personal loan, 58% had neither the capability nor the knowledge to manage their finances properly.
So, here are some considerations you should make before taking a personal loan.
- Firstly, check your affordability for repayment. Every bank has different interest rates when it comes to personal loan. One thing is for sure; no banks will be giving a loan to you with 0% interest. So, know the banks’ interest rates first before applying.
- Secondly, check your financial health. You can do that by checking your Central Credit Reference Information System (CCRIS) report. The report is managed by the Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) and provides information such as outstanding bank loans, accounts specially monitored by the bank(s), and bank loan application status. It tracks your repayment behaviour for the past 12 months.
- Lastly, know that there are two (2) types of personal loan interest rates, namely fixed and variable interest rates. Fixed interest rate stays the same for the full loan term despite the fluctuations of interest rates in the market. The repayment amount is fixed by the bank and if the payer would like to pay extra, he or she will be charged an additional fee.
On the other hand, variable loan interest rate has an interest rate which changes from time to time, depending on market rates. Although, it allows you to take advantage of the time when the interest rate in the market is low, this type of interest rate can be very risky when the rates spike up in the market.
If all this information is overwhelming, get proper assistance. Agensi Kaunseling dan Pengurusan Kredit (AKPK) has a handy budget calculator at https://www.akpk.org.my/tools. The calculator allows you to calculate your total expenses (including repayments) so that you can assess your affordability when planning to apply for a personal loan. AKPK also provides free credit counselling. Appointments can be made online via https://customer.akpk.org.my/ or you could just walk in to any of AKPK branches nearest to you (check out our website, www.akpk.org.my for branch details).
Remember! Loans add to your expenses. So, be wise and prudent when signing up for one. Whether you just started work, or are nearing retirement, always live within your means.
#nasihatAKPK
Pelanggan AKPK kali ini adalah seorang pekerja swasta yang berga...
Continue Reading >Pelanggan AKPK kali ini adalah seorang pekerja swasta yang bergaji RM9,000 sebulan. Di samping itu, dia juga mengusahakan perniagaan sendiri bersama-sama adiknya.
Memang sudah menjadi lumrah perniagaan, pasti ada pasang surutnya. Ketika perniagaannya merosot, jumlah hutangnya hampir mencecah RM300,000 melibatkan tujuh (7) kad kredit yang dipakai sebagai modal kerja.
Ibarat gali lubang timbus lubang, kad kredit digunakan untuk membayar hutang kad kredit yang lain. Pendek kata, penggunaan kad kreditnya sudah tidak terkawal. Debt service ratio (DSR) atau nisbah khidmat hutangnya sudah melebihi 100% yakni jumlah bayaran balik hutang setiap bulan sudah pun melebihi gaji bersih.
Akhirnya, dia pergi mendapatkan khidmat nasihat AKPK untuk mengelakkan keadaan kewangannya daripada menjadi lebih parah.
Dengan penstrukturan semula kesemua kad kreditnya, DSR telah dapat dikurangkan kepada 53%. Dengan jumlah pembayaran balik yang kini sudah berkurang, dia boleh membayar balik kesemua hutangnya setiap bulan tanpa tunggakan.
Dia juga dinasihatkan agar sentiasa memantau jumlah hutang yang ada serta pembayaran balik yang dibuat. Untuk perniagaannya pula, kaunselor AKPK menasihatkannya untuk memilih kemudahan pembiayaan yang betul dari institusi kewangan.
Kad kredit tidak sesuai digunakan untuk hutang jangka panjang seperti hutang perniagaan. Wang mudah yang boleh diperolehi melalui kad kredit memanglah menarik tetapi kadar faedah tahunannya adalah jauh lebih tinggi daripada pinjaman peribadi mahupun pinjaman perniagaan. Umumnya, kad kredit hanya sesuai digunakan untuk nilai perbelanjaan yang boleh dilangsaikan dalam satu atau dua bulan.
Tetapi, bolehkah AKPK menstrukturkan semula hutang perniagaan? Jawapannya tidak. AKPK hanya menstrukturkan kembali hutang peribadi berserta syarat-syarat lain. Jadi, bagaimana pula dalam kes ini? Di sinilah usahawan startup, terutamanya, perlu memahami satu lagi risiko penggunaan kad kredit untuk membiayai perniagaan.
Jika anda membuka syarikat atau perkongsian liabiliti terhad (PLT), misalnya, anda secara peribadi terlindung daripada hutang syarikat yakni anda tidak perlu membayar hutang syarikat atau PLT dengan harta anda sendiri. Akan tetapi, jika anda menggunakan kad kredit untuk membiayai perniagaan, sebarang obligasi kewangan perniagaan adalah menjadi tanggungjawab peribadi anda. Sebarang tunggakan pembayaran hutang kad kredit akan menjejaskan skor kredit anda dan ini akan menyukarkan sebarang permohonan pinjaman peribadi, kereta mahupun rumah.
#nasihatAKPK
Pelanggan AKPK kali ini adalah seorang lelaki yang berumur 32 ta...
Continue Reading >Pelanggan AKPK kali ini adalah seorang lelaki yang berumur 32 tahun dan sudah berkahwin dengan dua (2) orang cahaya mata. Beliau bekerja sendiri dengan pendapatan sebanyak RM3,700 sebulan yang kebanyakannya datang daripada hasil perkhidmatan Grab.
Sebelum ini, beliau berkerja di Petronas tetapi mengambil keputuan untuk berhenti setelah ibunya jatuh sakit dan memerlukan penjagaan penuh.
Dengan pendapatan beliau sekarang, sebanyak 64% digunakan untuk membayar hutang kad kredit, pinjaman peribadi dan pinjaman kereta yang berjumlah RM225,590. Wang selebihnya cukup untuk kehidupan beliau sekeluarga sehari-hari.
Sungguhpun begitu, beliau bimbang kerana tidak mempunyai wang lebih untuk dibuat simpanan. Tahap keberhutangan berdasarkan pendapatan semasa atau debt service ratio (DSR) adalah setinggi 64%. Beliau datang mendapatkan bantuan AKPK untuk mengurangkan DSR supaya beliau ada wang lebih untuk membuat simpanan.
Kaunselor AKPK menerangkan tentang Program Pengurusan Kredit yang menstrukturkan semula pinjaman agar peminjam dapat terus melunaskan hutang dengan pembayaran balik bulanan yang lebih rendah.
Setelah dibuat pengiraan dengan penstrukturan semula hutang kad kredit dan pinjaman peribadi, beliau dapat mengurangkan DSR kepada 27% dan menaikkan lebihan daripada pendapatannya sebanyak 49%.
Kesimpulannya, mencegah adalah lebih baik daripada mengubati. Ketahuilah tanda-tanda awal masalah kewangan, antaranya, tidak mempunyai wang lebih untuk simpanan. Jika dibiarkan berlarutan, pembayaran balik hutang akan terjejas dan membawa kepada masalah yang lebih buruk.
#nasihatAKPK
Paparan kali ini adalah tentang seorang ibu tunggal yang mempuny...
Continue Reading >Paparan kali ini adalah tentang seorang ibu tunggal yang mempunyai tiga orang anak yang berumur dari 5 hingga 13 tahun. Semenjak berpisah, bekas suami tidak pernah membayar nafkah anak walaupun sekali.
Beliau menyara hidup dengan bekerja di kilang papan dan menerima gaji bulanan sebanyak RM900.00. Apa yang membebankan beliau ialah tunggakan hutang kereta yang sudah berlanjutan selama 12 bulan. Pinjaman kereta ini dibuat menggunakan nama beliau dan bekas suami berhenti membayar balik pinjaman selepas berpisah. Kereta ini dipakai oleh bekas suami.
Pihak bank sudah pun mula mengambil tindakan undang-undang untuk mendapatkan kembali wang yang dipinjam (baki hutang berserta tunggakan sejumlah RM47,000 kesemuanya).
Kaunselor AKPK menasihatkan beliau untuk menyerahkan kereta tersebut kepada pihak bank untuk dilelong. Sebarang hutang yang berbaki selepas itu boleh distrukturkan semula di bawah Program Pengurusan Kredit AKPK dengan kadar faedah 0%.
Apa yang perlu dibuat adalah meminta bekas suami menyerahkan kereta tersebut. Beliau boleh juga melaporkan kepada pihak bank tentang keberadaan bekas suami atau kereta tersebut untuk memudahkan kerja penarikan. Kerjasama sebegini adalah langkah yang betul daripada memilih untuk mengelakkan diri daripada pihak bank.
Beliau juga dinasihati untuk mendapatkan khidmat nasihat daripada jabatan hal ehwal agama negeri untuk urusan menfailkan tuntutan nafkah di mahkamah syariah.
#nasihatAKPK
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Pelanggan AKPK kali ini datang bukan kerana kesempitan wang untu...
Continue Reading >Pelanggan AKPK kali ini datang bukan kerana kesempitan wang untuk hidup tetapi hilang kawalan dalam berbelanja dan berhutang untuk hidup mewah.
Beliau adalah seorang pengurus yang sudah bekerja lebih daripada 10 tahun di sebuah syarikat simen. Gaji beliau melebihi RM13,000 sebulan dengan jumlah bersih sebanyak RM 9,200. Walaupun bergaji tinggi, beliau tidak dapat menampung pembayaran balik kesemua hutang beliau setelah ditolak kos perbelanjaan hidup.
Ini ialah akibat daripada hilang kawalan ke atas penggunaan kad kredit untuk menampung gaya hidup mewah beliau sekeluarga. Bayangkan! Beliau mempunyai 15 akaun kad kredit dengan tunggakan hutang sekitar RM340,000. Di samping itu, beliau juga mempunyai dua (2) pinjaman perumahan dan pinjaman sewa beli. Jumlah pembayaran balik hutang setiap bulan adalah sekitar 70% daripada pendapatan bersih beliau.
Bagi menyelesaikan masalah ini, kaunselor AKPK mencadangkan agar semua hutang kad kredit beliau distrukturkan semula di bawah Program Pengurusan Kredit AKPK. Melalui program AKPK ini, beliau dapat mengurangkan pembayaran balik hutang dan menampung kos belanja hidup setiap bulan.
Kaunselor AKPK juga menasihati beliau agar memotong mana-mana perbelanjaan yang bukan satu keperluan. Perubahan sikap adalah penting dalam kes-kes seperti ini.
Pendek kata, berbelanjalah dengan betul lebih-lebih lagi apabila menggunakan kad kredit. Pastikan baki hutang kad kredit boleh dibayar sepenuhnya setiap bulan tanpa tunggakan jika tidak mahu hutang kad kredit bertambah melalui faedah atau caj lain yang dikenakan.
#nasihatAKPK
Pelanggan AKPK kali ini ialah seorang pembantu tadbir dengan gaj...
Continue Reading >Pelanggan AKPK kali ini ialah seorang pembantu tadbir dengan gaji bulanan sebanyak RM2,000.
Selain itu, dia juga mendapat wang mudah sebanyak RM1,000 setiap bulan sebagai salah seorang pengarah syarikat milik pakciknya. Sungguhpun bergelar pengarah syarikat, dia tidak pernah ambil tahu tentang perjalanan perniagaan pakciknya itu.
Setelah beberapa bulan menjadi pengarah syarikat, pakciknya meminta agar dia menjamin pembelian lima (5) buah lori untuk mengembangkan perniagaan. Tanpa berfikir panjang, dia terus bersetuju.
Tiada sebarang masalah pada mulanya walaupun dia ada menerima panggilan daripada pihak bank yang meminta agar tunggakan dijelaskan. Namun dia mengabaikan sahaja semua permintaan tersebut dengan sangkaan bahawa pakciknya akan menguruskannya seperti biasa.
Sehinggalah pada suatu hari, dia menerima surat peguam daripada pihak bank yang mengarahkan dia membayar tunggakan yang sudah melebihi setahun berjumlah RM250,000. Jika gagal, dia bakal diisytiharkan bankrap.
Dalam kepanikan, dia menelefon pakciknya berkali-kali tetapi tidak berjawab. Dia bersama keluarganya juga pergi ke rumah pakciknya tetapi diberitahu bahawa mereka telah pun berpindah beberapa bulan yang lepas. Sehingga kini, pakciknya tidak dapat dihubungi.
Dia berasa amat tertekan.
Dalam kes ini, kaunselor AKPK menekankan betapa perlunya menjadi seorang penjamin yang bertanggungjawab yakni menilai kemampuan membayar balik pinjaman sebelum bersetuju menjadi penjamin.
Memandangkan hutang ini dibuat di bawah entiti perniagaan dan bukan persendirian, AKPK tidak boleh membantu menstrukturkan semula pembayaran balik hutang dengan pihak bank.
Maka, kaunselor AKPK telah memberikan beberapa pilihan untuk menyelesaikan masalahnya termasuk memulangkan kesemua lori tersebut kepada pihak bank. Setelah dijual, dia boleh berunding dengan pihak bank tentang pembayaran balik jika masih ada hutang yang berbaki.
Dia juga dinasihatkan agar berhubung dengan Jabatan Insolvensi Malaysia bagi mendapatkan maklumat lengkap tentang proses kebankrapan serta nasihat tentang pilihan yang ada untuk mengelak daripada diisytiharkan bankrap seperti Perkiraan Sukarela atau Voluntary Arrangement.
Perkiraan sukarela adalah satu mekanisma penyelamat bagi mengelak tindakan undang-undang kebankrapan.
#nasihatAKPK
Encik Hisham (bukan nama sebenar) terpaksa akur untuk bersara se...
Continue Reading >Encik Hisham (bukan nama sebenar) terpaksa akur untuk bersara seawal umur 50 tahun.
Ia terjadi apabila kesihatannya semakin merosot sehinga tidak dapat lagi menulis. Sungguhpun begitu, pemeriksaan kesihatan dan ujian darah berkali-kali mengesahkan bahawa beliau tidak mempunyai apa-apa penyakit. Beliau kemudian mendapatkan rawatan secara alternatif namun kesemuanya menemui jalan buntu. Akhirnya, disebabkan keadaan beliau yang sudah lemah, beliau mengambil keputusan untuk bersara awal.
Setelah pencen, pendapatan beliau adalah sebanyak RM1,353 sebulan. Pembayaran balik untuk pinjaman perumahan daripada kerajaan sebanyak RM275 sebulan ditolak daripada wang pencen ini menjadikan pendapatan bersih beliau hanya RM1,078 sebulan. Pinjaman untuk rumah tersebut akan lunas apabila beliau mencecah umur 55 tahun. Selain itu, beliau juga ada mengambil pinjaman sewa beli kereta dan pinjaman peribadi untuk pengubahsuaian rumah dengan jumlah pembayaran balik pinjaman sebanyak RM1,030 sebulan.
Oleh kerana pendapatan beliau kini sudah berkurang, beliau tidak lagi dapat mengekalkan komitmen kewangan beliau dan mula ingkar membayar hutang. Semenjak itu, panggilan yang bertalu-talu dari ejen pengutip hutang bagi pihak bank datang mengganggu dan membuatkan beliau berasa sangat risau dan tertekan. Pihak bank pula mula mengambil langkah perundangan. Beliau hampir-hampir berputus asa dan hanya menunggu untuk diisytiharkan muflis sehinggalah pada suatu hari adik lelaki beliau terbaca tentang AKPK di dalam akhbar.
Encik Hisham beruntung kerana mempunyai keluarga yang prihatin. Oleh kerana beliau tidak lagi boleh memandu, pinjaman kereta diambil alih oleh adik lelaki dan beliau dihantar dengan kenderaan jika perlu ke mana-mana. Selepas bercerai, beliau dan anak juga tinggal di rumah ibu bapa beliau selepas bercerai dan penghidupan mereka dibantu oleh ahli keluarga sementara beliau berubat.
Oleh kerana beliau tidak lagi tinggal di rumah ini, beliau bercadang untuk menyewakannya bagi mendapatkan pendapatan tambahan yang sekurang-kurangnya boleh menampung kos pembayaran balik bulanan. Wang tambahan juga boleh membantu menampung kos perubatan beliau.
Pinjaman peribadi beliau dengan pihak bank pula akan distrukturkan semula di bawah Program Pengurusan Kredit AKPK. Dengan baki hutang sebanyak RM37,153, pembayaran balik yang distrukturkan semula pada kadar keuntungan semasa dengan ansuran bulanan yang dikurangkan mengikut kemampuan aliran tunai En Hisham akan melunaskan hutang tersebut dalam tempoh enam (6) tahun.
#nasihatAKPK
Pn Ani (bukan nama sebenar), berusia awal 20-an baru memulakan k...
Continue Reading >Pn Ani (bukan nama sebenar), berusia awal 20-an baru memulakan kerjaya pertamanya di sebuah agensi kerajaan dengan pendapatan sekitar RM 2,500 sebulan.
Dengan keinginan untuk mencari kehidupan yang lebih mewah, Pn Ani mula berjinak-jinak dengan perniagaan jualan langsung setelah menghadiri satu program yang telah dianjurkan oleh sebuah syarikat. Selepas menghadiri sesi berkenaan, Pn Ani begitu yakin dan bersemangat untuk menggapai impiannya menjadi salah seorang jutawan seperti yang ditunjukkan dalam program berkenaan. Beliau telah bertungkus-lumus siang dan malam bagi mengejar impiannya disamping meneruskan tugas sebagai pegawai kerajaan. Usahanya mula menampakkan hasil, pendapatannya terus meningkat dari ribuan ringgit ke belasan ribu dan akhirnya mencecah puluhan ribu sebulan malah pernah memperolehi RM50,000.00 sebulan! Seperti tidak percaya dengan apa yang dikecapinya malah dengan pendapatannya sebulan kini menyamai hampir 2 tahun gajinya suatu masa dulu. Tidak pernah terbayang dalam dirinya selama ini bahawa kini kehidupannya telah berubah dalam sekelip mata sahaja.
Bagi mengukuhkan lagi perniagaannya, Pn Ani nekad berhenti kerja sebagai seorang kakitangan kerajaan. Kini beliau mampu hidup mewah dengan rumah banglo berharga RM500K, dua buah kereta mewah masing-masing berharga RM150K dan RM300K. Malah, melancong keluar negara menjadi kebiasaan bagi diri dan keluarganya.
Sepertimana pepatah mengatakan, langit tidak selalunya cerah. Itulah yang telah mula membelenggu dirinya. Perniagaannya hanya mampu bertahan 2 tahun sahaja. Pendapatan lumayan yang diterima sebelum ini mula menyusut. Pn Ani mula membuat pinjaman peribadi bagi merancakkan semula perniagaannya malah mula menggunakan kad kredit bagi menampung kos kehidupannya yang mencecah belasan ribu sebulan untuk membayar rumah, kereta, pinjaman peribadi dan kad kredit serta perbelanjaan harian keluarga. Usahanya tidak menampakkan hasil, dan Pn Ani mula berputus asa. Setiap hari, pihak bank menghubunginya menuntut menjelaskan pinjaman-pinjaman yang telah tertunggak.
Akhirnya, Pn Ani nekad untuk menjual sebuah kereta mewahnya yang sudahpun mempunyai beberapa bulan tunggakan dengan menyerahkan kepada rakannya yang mempunyai syarikat menjual kereta terpakai. Umpama jatuh ditimpa tangga, setelah beberapa bulan keretanya berada di syarikat tersebut, malang datang menimpa apabila bilik pameran syarikat terbabit telah terbakar termasuklah keretanya. Lebih malang lagi apabila Pn Ani tidak boleh membuat tuntutan dari pihak insuran kerana kereta tersebut tidak mempunyai perlindungan insuran. Akibat dari kejadian itu, Pn Ani telah mengalami kerugian hampir RM250K!. Pn Ani telah menghubungi bank untuk berbincang namun pihak bank menuntutnya membayar semua tunggakan sebelum perbincangan boleh dibuat.
Termenung dan buntu mengenangkan nasib malang yang menimpa dirinya, Pn Ani nekad datang ke AKPK untuk menyelesaikan masalah kereta berkenaan bersama dengan pinjaman peribadi dan juga kad kredit. Kaunselor AKPK berjaya berunding dengan pihak bank dimana Pn Ani perlu membayar ansuran bulanan pinjamannya dengan sejumlah bayaran yang dipersetujui oleh pihak bank. Kini Pn Ani menceburi bidang lain dengan pendapatan yang agak baik walaupun tidak semewah dulu.
Rasa menyesal dalam diri mula timbul kerana Pn Ani tidak pernah membuat tabungan sebelum ini malah tidak mempunyai dana kecemasan untuk digunakan untuk membantunya di waktu susah sekarang. Malah, beliau telah pun berhenti kerja sebagai kakitangan kerajaan sebelum ini. Walaupun dengan gaji sederhana, sekurang-kurangnya dengan perancangan kewangan yang baik kita boleh hidup secara sederhana. Pn Ani menyifatkan dirinya seperti pepatah “yang dikejar tidak dapat, yang dikendong keciciran”!
Nasihat AKPK :
Hidup ini melibatkan pilihan dan pilihan sememangnya ditangan kita. Kita boleh memilih samada untuk ‘buat’ duit dengan hutang atau ‘buang’ duit dengan hutang. Sebaik-baiknya pilihlah pilihan yang pertama tersebut. Jika berhutang, pastikan hutang tersebut tidak melebihi 40% dari pendapatan bersih seseorang.
Amalkan menyimpan wang sekurang-kurangnya 10% sebulan sebagai persediaan sewaktu kecemasan. Hidup kita umpama roda yang sentiasa berpusing. Di waktu senang tiada masalah yang akan timbul namun diwaktu susah, wang dari simpanan lah yang boleh kita gunakan.
