INVESTMENT - UniT TruSt

What do I look for in a unit trust fund:

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1. No up-front charges or service fees.
2. Remuneration to agent based on a certain percentage of the fund’s return which is realized through switching or repurchase.
3. No need to pay remuneration to agent/unit trust company if my investment is making a loss.
4. Provide easy online switching and repurchasing service so I don’t have to trouble the agent to meet me just for my signature!

As I know, there is no such unit trust fund in Malaysia. But I wish that it will be available soon in the future.

5 steps to starting an investment

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Set objective - Setting a clear investment objective with time line will help us to design a suitable investment portfolio to minimize the risk and expect a reasonable return.

Undersand personal characteristic - There is no best product but a product suit you the best. You can only do that by considering your age, financial status, financial commitment and investment objective with clear time line. Try to approach a good investing consultant to help you.

Investment risk profile - Risk assessement should be done prior to investment to analyse you risk acception level and then select a right investment portfolio for you.

Understand the investment product in terms of the maturity, risk level, advantage and disadvantage of the product and etc. Never leave everything to your investing consultant as you are the decision maker and no one can understand better than yourself.

Asset allocation takes up 93.6% importance to determine your investment return through a continuous portfolio rebalancing over the time.

Starting From Scratch - A Beginner's Guide To Investing in Unit Trusts

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If, like me, you don't have the time or the money required to invest on the stock market it's a good idea to have a look at unit trusts. Basically, a unit trust is a simple and effective way of saving money over time. You don't need to have an in-depth knowledge of the market and is the perfect way of building a balanced investment portfolio.

How does it work?

Unit trusts allow a large group of people to pool their money into the JSE or money markets. Because your investments are spread out like this, the overall risk involved in trading on the JSE is reduced.

Each unit trust is managed by a fund manager and requires a certain minimum amount from you each month. This amount varies from about R100 - R500. Beginners are usually advised to invest in growth or value funds as these usually have very decent returns over time.

Be patient...

Unit trusts are not a short term thing! It is advised that you keep your unit trusts for a period of between 3-5 years in order to see a satisfactory return on it. It makes sense that because you aren't investing huge sums of money that you should give your investment time to mature and overcome the fluctuations of the stock market. Your wealth will grow slowly but you'll benefit from the long term growth of the market. It's an ideal way to save without just depositing your money in a bank account and leaving it there to earn small amounts of interest.

Where do I start?

There are two ways to go about this - you can either go through a financial advisor who invests on your behalf or you can buy/sell unit trusts online. As someone starting out I thought that it would probably be easier to go through someone who could just invest on my behalf but after seeing how much in commission and fees I would save by doing it online and by myself I quickly changed my mind. Just think about it, why should you pay someone else commission if you can do it directly with little fuss?

Most banks have unit trusts that you can directly invest in. I went to Equinox's website where I found everything I needed to know about unit trusts and how to actually invest in them online.

What do I need to do?

You need to register online and open a new account. You'll need to provide certain documents before you can open an account. These include: proof of identity and proof of address. These need to be certified by a Commissioner of Oaths - an easy way to do this is to go to your nearest police station - someone there will be able to certify your documents for you. Once this is done you'll be able to set up your own portfolio, fill in some personal details, add bank accounts and then you can start investing. It sounds simple enough and it is!

The benefits of going solo

By cutting out the middle man you save money in fees and commission. You can also issue instructions to buy, sell or switch unit trusts whenever you want. Monitor your portfolio and keep up to date with a wide range of information available on the site. Have the peace of mind that you're in control of your investments!

What are you waiting for?

Now that you know the basics there are no excuses for you to start investing! You don't need a large sum of money to start off with unit trusts and if after 5 years you've accumulated a nice sum of money you can always re-invest it. It's a great way for beginner investors to start getting involved in the investment environment and remember, the sooner you start investing the brighter your financial future looks!

Why Choose MAAKL

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At MAAKL MUTUAL, we use a different approach to serve you better. It's called The MAAKL Way which represents our sincere commitment to help you achieve your long-term financial goals. Our professional unit trust advisers ('advisers') are well trained to use our MAAKL 6-Step Process to design the most appropriate unit trust portfolio for you which matches your unique risk profile and investment needs. Our advisers have been trained to help you constantly monitor and manage your investments using our proprietary knowledge-based tools such as MAAKL Planners, MAAKL Home Office, Perancang Kewangan MAAKL and MAAKL Dynamic Allocation Models (DAM). The use of MAAKL 6-Step Process along with these knowledge-based tools allows our advisers to offer you a higher level of service and professionalism.

So, ask yourself, do you want a Professional Unit Trust Adviser or a salesperson to help you carry out the very important task of planning your financial future?

About MAAKL MUTUAL Bhd

Incorporated on 16 October 2000, MAAKL MUTUAL Bhd was formerly known as MAA Mutual Berhad. The shareholders of the company are MAA Corporation Sdn Bhd which holds 70% equity of the company, Khyra Liberty Sdn Bhd which holds 20% equity and the remaining 10% are held by individuals.

The company, led by an experienced management team, is well-positioned to build the most professional unit trust force in the country.

MAAKL MUTUAL currently manages a well diversified range of Shariah and conventional unit trust funds, including the 1^st foreign unit trust fund in Malaysia – MAAKL Pacific Fund.

Investors are advised to read and understand the contents of the Prospectus dated 16 January 2008 obtainable at our offices, before investing. The prospectus has been registered with the Securities Commission who takes no responsibility for its contents.

Investors should also consider the fees and charges involved. The price of units and distribution, if any, may go down as well as up. Past performance of funds is no indication of future performance. Units will only be issued on receipt of the application form accompanying the prospectus.

In the event of any dispute or ambiguity arising out of the Bahasa Malaysia translation in this leaflet, the English version shall prevail.

Kelainan MAAKL

Di MAAKL MUTUAL, kami menggunakan pendekatan yang berlainan untuk memberikan anda perkhidmatan yang lebih baik. Pendekatan ini di panggil "THE MAAKL Way" yang merupakan komitmen ikhlas kami untuk menolong anda mencapai matlamat kewangan anda dalam jangka masa panjang.

Perunding unit amanah profesional kami telah dilatih untuk menggunakan "MAAKL 6-Step Process" bagi menyediakan portfolio unit amanah yang paling sesuai dari segi menepati profil risiko dan keperluan pelaburan anda yang tersendiri.

Perunding unit amanah kami juga telah dilatih untuk membantu anda memantau secara berterusan dan menguruskan pelaburan anda dengan alat bantu berasaskan pengetahuan seperti MAAKL Planners, Perancang Kewangan MAAKL, MAAKL Home Office dan MAAKL Dynamic Allocation Models (DAM).

Penggunaan MAAKL 6-step Process berserta dengan alat-alat bantu berteraskan pengetahuan ini membolehkan perunding kami menawarkan tahap perkhidmatan dan profesionalisme yang lebih tinggi kepada anda.

Oleh itu, tanyalah diri sendiri, adakah anda mahu seorang Perunding Unit Amanah atau wakil jualan untuk menolong anda menjalankan tugas penting merancang masa depan kewangan anda

Latar Belakang MAAKL MUTUAL Bhd

Ditubuhkan pada 16 Oktober 2000, MAAKL MUTUAL Bhd sebelum ini dikenali dengan nama MAA Mutual Berhad. Para pemegang saham syarikat terdiri daripada MAA Corporation Sdn Bhd yang memegang 70% ekuiti syarikat, Khyra Liberty Sdn Bhd yang memegang 20% ekuiti dan selebihnya dipegang oleh orang perseorangan.

Diterajui oleh lima individu penting dengan gabungan pengalaman luas dalam industri unit amanah, pengurusan dana dan insurans, MAAKL MUTUAL berkedudukan teguh untuk membina pasukan unit amanah yang paling profesional di negara ini.

MAAKL MUTUAL kini menguruskan rangkaian dana unit amanah Shariah dan konvensional terpelbagai, termasuk dana unit amanah asing pertama di Malaysia, iaitu MAAKL Pacific Fund.

Understanding what is Unit Trust?

Unit trust funds are investment schemes structured to allow investors with similar investment objectives to participation in the money, debt, equity and derivative markets. Professional investment managers, who channel their efforts towards achieving investment objectives ranging from regular income to capital growth, will manage funds collected from the schemes. Unit trusts are excellent vehicles for individual and corporate financial planning due to their affordability, liquidity and relatively low risk nature.

Unit Trusts are a form of collective investment that allows investors with similar investment objectives to pool their funds to be invested in a portfolio of securities or other assets.

A professional fund manager then invests the pooled funds in a portfolio which may include the asset classes listed below:

Cash
Bonds & Deposits
Shares
Property
Commodities

Unit holders do not purchase the securities in the portfolio directly. Ownership of the fund is divided into units of entitlement. As the fund increases or decreases in value, the value of each unit increases or decreases accordingly. The number of units held depends on the unit purchase price at the time of investment and the amount of money invested.

The return on investment of unit holders is usually in the form of income distribution and capital appreciation, derived from the pool of assets supporting the unit trust fund. Each unit earns an equal return, determined by the level of distribution and/or capital appreciation in any one period.

Unit trust investors are typically those with savings to invest, who neither have the time nor the inclination to hold portfolios of direct investments or shares. Rather, they prefer to invest in a secure, reputable investment vehicle which suits their purposes. Unit trusts allow investors to have easy access to a wide range of investment exposures not normally available to them.

As investors seek to maximize returns on their financial resources, unit trusts provide an ideal way for them to gain exposure to investments that, in the long run, should produce returns superior to cash savings and fixed deposit investments.

The cost of these potentially higher returns is of course the risk that accompanies the investment. In the short run, the certainty of investment returns of most unit trust products is less than those offered by fixed deposits. However, in the medium to long term (i.e. 3-20 years), unit trust investments generally provide superior returns at acceptable levels of risk.

---------------------Why Choose Unit Trust?

Children's Education

Unit trust can help you to cover the spiraling cost of education for your children or grandchildren. The sooner you start your plan, the lesser will be the burden. Time can be your greatest ally.

Home Ownership

Unit trust can help you to pay off your mortgage earlier, purchase a bigger house or upgrade your existing house. As with any plan, start early. Many bricks build a castle.

Retirement

Growing old and retiring is inevitable. It is never too early to plan for retirement even though you have the comfort of the Employees' Provident Fund (EPF). You have the right and choice to retire in dignity. Retire comfortably. Plan a nest for your retirement home, orchard and the likes. Unit trust can help do the job.

Cash Reserves

The only certainty in life is the uncertainty or unexpected emergencies. Unit trust can help you to set aside some cash for rainy days.

Regardless of your own needs and wants, unit trust makes sense, for potential return and security.

---------------------Why Invest in Unit Trust?

Professional Investment Management

The fund managers who take care of your unit trust funds have access to information and statistics from leading economists and analysts. Consequently, they are in a better position than individual investors to identify opportunities for your investment to grow.

Diversification

Unit trusts allow you to broaden your portfolio. With your nest-egg spread across a basket of securities, your overall investment risks are reduced.

Liquidity

An investor can sell his units, wholly or partially, at the following trading day's unit buying price. Units have a high liquidity, that is, they can be readily converted into cash.

Ease of Transactions

Unit trusts provide investors with a simpler, more convenient and less time-consuming method of investing in securities. The paperwork that comes with managing your own portfolio of shares and bonds are handled by the fund manager.

Security

The interests of unit holders are protected by the appointment of an independent trustee to hold the fund's assets on behalf of the unit holders. The trustee will also ensure that the fund manager will always manage the fund in accordance to the Deed of the fund and the Guidelines issued by the Securities Commission.

Affordable and Flexible

The minimum initial investment amount is low as compared to investment in shares and/ or bonds. Furthermore, additional investment can be made in even smaller amounts than the minimum investment amount.

--------------------- Potential Risks of Investing in Unit Trust

Market Risks

As unit trust funds generally invest in listed securities, they may be susceptible to fluctuations in the performance of the stock market. Changes in the economic, political and sociological environment will affect the stock market and changes in the share prices will then affect the price of the unit.

Specific Risks

Risks that is specific to individual companies or shares that a unit trust fund may have invested in rather than the market in general.

Fund Management Risks

The selection of the securities which make up the assets of the unit trust fund is a subjective process and hence, securities selected by the manager may perform better or worse than the overall market, or as compared to other unit trust funds.

Management Company Risks

This risk refers to the possibility that the manager may not adhere to the investment guidelines or restrictions of a unit trust fund. Poor management of the investments of the unit trust fund may jeopardize the investment of the unit holders.

Credit/Default Risk

Fixed income instruments such as bonds, term deposits and debentures constitute credit risk if the institution invested in is not able to make the required interest payments or repayment of principal.

Interest Rate Risk

The interest rate risk is particularly significant in bond funds as the investments made by the bond funds generally depend on forecasting movements of the interest rate. Prices of the bonds generally move inversely to the interest rate which means that as interest rate rise, prices of bond will decline and vice-versa.

Liquidity Risk

This refers to the fund's ability to quickly and easily trade, at a reasonable price into and out of positions. The bond and/or private debt securities market is not as liquid as the equity market.

Inflation Risk

This risk refers to the risk that the value of the unit trust investment may be eroded if inflation is constantly higher than the rate of returns on investments.

Financing Risk

This risk occurs when investors take a loan to finance their purchase of units of a unit trust fund. In the event that the values of their investments drop to a certain level, the financier may require additional collateral and the investor may be unable to meet the requirement.

Regulation of Unit Trusts

Only unit trust schemes which are approved may be offered for sale to the Malaysian public. Such schemes must comply with requirements of the Securities Commission Act 1993 and are primarily regulated by the Securities Commission.

---------------------Why Should I Start Investing Today?

Today's decision should consider tomorrow's needs. There is a direct relationship between the amount of money you need to accumulate and the number of years you have to do it.

Time can be a real asset when planning for a child's education or our retirement. The more time we have to save, the fewer ringgit we need now. Do not let time slip away.

Selecting The Right Unit Trust - Unit Trust That Fits My Objective?

It used to be simple selecting a unit trust. Today, there are a multitude of different unit trust funds competing for investment ringgit. Perhaps a simpler way is to first identify your investment objectives. If you want your money to grow a larger sum in the future to pay for an objective and your risk tolerance is higher, you may choose a growth fund to do the job. On the other hand, if you need an ongoing income stream to pay for expenses and your risk tolerance is low, a better choice may be a bond fund. You may have different investment objectives, risk tolerance and time horizons at any one time, which warrants owning a mixture of different unit trust funds for different investment purposes.

---------------------Understanding Fees and Charges in Unit Trust

Fees and charges can vary from fund to fund. Management companies are allowed to charge three types of fees :-

Initial service charge - this is usually build into the fund's selling price;

Repurchase fee - this may be included in the fund's buying price; and

Management fee - this represents the management company's fee for administering the fund and is directly charged to the fund.

In addition, certain other expenses such as trustee fees and brokerage expenses are also borne by the fund. You may refer to the prospectus for more information on fees and charges.

---------------------Getting Started

There are four major ways to start investing in unit trusts:

Lump Sum Purchases

This is where an investor has a lump sum to invest into a unit trust. This may be the only investment the investor wishes to make. Over a period of time (3-20 years), the initial investment will increase as distribution and other income is earned by the fund. When redemption or sale of the units takes place, the unit-selling price will reflect the accumulation and compounding of capital over the relevant periods. It is this compounding effect over time which makes accumulation type investments, such as unit trusts, so attractive to the investor.

Regular Savings

Some people invest in unit trusts by making regular (e.g. monthly) contributions to their fund. This is an ideal, disciplined and useful way to accumulate capital for a future need. By making regular contributions over a period of time, the sum accumulated at the end of the period will increase. This is commonly known as dollar cost averaging.

At the end of the period, the redemption (or sale) price of the units held will represent the accumulation of all contributions, plus returns generated from the total contributions since the first purchase was made. The effect is more noticeable the longer the holding and contribution period. This form of savings is the basis of most pension fund accumulation e.g. the Employees Provident Fund.

EPF Transfers

Investors may also invest in unit trust funds through transfers of eligible amounts from his EPF account.

Borrowing

Although an investor may obtain a loan from a financial institution for the purpose of investing in unit trust funds, investors should seek appropriate advice as there are additional risks involved when using borrowings to finance an investment in unit trust funds.

---------------------Benefits with Unit Trusts

Benefit of Investing Regularly

When you have a regular investment, you do not need to worry about timing, but you can take advantage of concept known as Dollar Cost Averaging. (DCA is an investing technique intended to reduce exposure to risk associated with making a single large purchase. The idea is simple: spend a fixed amount at regular intervals (e.g., monthly) on a particular investment. In this way, more shares are purchased when prices are low and fewer shares are bought when prices are high. The premise of dollar cost averaging is that the investor wants to guard against the market losing value shortly after making his investment. Therefore, he chooses to spread his investment over a number of periods.)

The Power of Compounding

Many unit trust funds provide facilities for investors to reinvest their distributions. For those who opted for distribution reinvestment, the fund will automatically credit the distributions into the account, rather than sending distribution warrants.

This process of reinvesting the income from the original investment and also of reinvesting the return on the total accumulating investments is called compounding.

Assuming the compounded return rate 10% per annum.

Delay is costly. Its pays to start investing early.

If at 21, you invested RM100 at the beginning of every month at an interest growth of 10% per annum until age 60, your investment would have grown to RM426,660.39 ! The key element to compounding is time.

The longer the period of time, the greater the growth.

If MR A start investing RM 100 for 10 years at age 21 years old, then saved no more.

His investment would have grown to RM239,629.14 !

IF MR B start investing RM 100 for 10 years at age 31 years old to 40 years old. His investment would have grown to RM106,501.84 !

MR A turn out is much more than MR B

Comparison EPF vs Fixed Deposit vs Unit Trust

RM 140,000 (-) RM 50,000

= RM 90,000 x 20% ==è RM 18, 000 ( Max amount you can invest)

If you left your money at EPF instead of UniT Trust …

RM 200,000

(20 years)

EPF (4.5%)

RM 482,342

UT (assuming 10%)

RM 1,345,500

Your income lost RM 863,358

If you place your money at Fixed Deposit instead of UniT Trust…

RM 200,000

(20 years)

FD (3.7%)

RM 413,623

UT (assuming 10%)

RM 1,345,500

Your income lost RM 931.877

Fund Information - MAAKL Syariah Index

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Fund Key Data
Manager - MAAKL Mutual Bhd
Fund Type - Equity Malaysia Islamic
Date Launched - January 4, 2002
Approved Fund Size - 300,000,000

Fund Price as at May 30, 2008
Buy - 0.7398
Sell - 0.7398
NAV - 0.7398

Objective
The Fund aims to track the performance of the Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange Syariah Index (KLSI). Also to generate annual distribution for unit holders.

Financial Year End: June 30.

Distribution Policy: Annually, if any.

Investor Profile
Investors who: seek Shariah-compliant investment avenues; seek capital appreciation over the long term.

Strategy
The Fund Manager employs an index sampling approach to track the performance of the KLSI. The Fund typically invests up to 98% of its assets in the top tier Shariah-compliant stocks in the target index (covering nearly 80% of KLSI's market capitalisation) and in a representative sample of the remaining constituents.The Fund holds a range of Shariah-compliant equities that, in aggregate, approximate the full KLSI in terms of key charactericstics including industry weightings and market capitalisation. The Fund's portfolio composition is rebalanced when necessary to take into account changes in weightings or corporate activities in order to minimise tracking errors.

Asset Allocation
· Shariah-compliant equity investments: Maximum - 98% of Fund's NAV; Targets tracking accuracy: 95% to 97% accuracy.
· Liquid assets: Minimum - 2% of Fund's NAV.

Glossary Term in Unit Trust @ Mutual Fund

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Assets	A unit trust's holdings which may include shares, bank deposits, bond and cash
Asset backing	The value in assets for each issued share. Obtained by dividing the net total value of assets of the company by the number of issued shares.
Additional Investment	The amount invested subsequently on a regular basis. Also include amount invested as and when desirable by the investors.
Authorised Capital	The nominal capital of a company which is authorised by the Memorandum of Association and on which stamp duty had been paid.
Annual Report	A formal report to unitholders of the financial status of a unit trust fund. This report must be audited by independent auditors.

Bid/Buying Price	The cash-in-value or selling price of your units.
Bid & Offer Spread	The difference between the buying and selling price of your units.
Balance Sheet	A statement showing the "net worth" or a company in accounting terms. It represents the financial position of a company on a particular day.
Bear	Someone who anticipates that price will fall
Bearish	A term pessimism, and in the market it means that prices are moving generally downwards.
Bond	A document recording a loan, promising to pay the creditor of bondholder interest for a specified time and to repay the capital borrowed on maturity.
Bull	An investor who expects that price will rise.
Bullish	A term of optimism, and in the market it means that prices are moving generally upwards.

Capital	The amount of money you have as savings or investment.
Capital gain	The amount by which the value of investments owned exceeds the cost of such investments. A realised capital gain is the profit realised from sales of investment.
Compounding	The continuous reinvestment of income with the effect that any asset would be based on the original investment and the reinvested income.
Cum dividend	The period before a trust fund pays out its income.

Designated Account	A joint holder who is a minor (below 18) with a parent as the registered holder.
Dividend	Income paid on units out of fund's profits.
Diversification	The investment in a number of securities. This results in spreading and thereby reducing the risks inherent in investing.
Dividend Equalisation	The distributable portion (non taxable) of the fund created to equalise the dividend payable on units purchased at different times.
Dividend Reinvestment	The dividends can be reinvested at the prevailing price specified in the Trust Deed.

Equities

Shares in a company

Fixed Interest Securities

Another term for bonds

Initial Charge

A charge- usually 5%- that is paid by unitholders to cover manager's expenses, such as advertising, administration, commission, etc.

Liquidity	Refers to the ease with which any investment may be converted to cash.
Lump sum	Refers to the mode of investing with which an investor is usually subject to a maximum initial investment amount without any maximum amount. The investor may opt to invest subsequently as and when he chooses, subject to a minimum amount each time, and availability of units.

Management Fee	The sum paid to the unit trust manager for supervising the fund's portfolio and administering its operations.
Money Market	The term refers generally to cash or "near cash" investments which pay interest.

Net Asset Value	The actual value of all the assets of a unit trust fund, less the fund's liabilities. Commonly referred as the NAV.
Net Asset Value Per Unit	It represents the base value of a unit trust fund. The net asset value per unit is the NAV of the unit trust fund divided by the number of units in circulation. It is the unit prices that appear in most newspapers.

Offer/Selling Price

The price at which you buy units.

Par Value	The par value of a unit trust find is a value at which the unit trust fund is carried on the financial statement. It is also called the face value of the unit trust fund.
Portfolio	All the securities which a unit trust fund or individual owns.
Prospectus	The official circular which describes the units of a unit trust fund and offers them for sale. It contains details concerning the unit trust fund, its manager, the method of determining the unit prices, description of plans available.

Regular Savings Plan	An efficient way to build up or accumulate a sizeable amount on a medium to long term basis. Invest at regular intervals, usually between RM50 to RM100. An investor is not locked into a fixed savings period. You may stop when you like without any penalty.
Return	The amount by which your savings may increase due to a combination of interest or dividend income and capital growth.
Ringgit Cost Averaging	A principle of investing which entails the use of equal amounts for investments at regular intervals with the hope of reducing average cost by acquiring more units when the prices are low and fewer units in periods of high unit prices.
Risk	A measure of the probability that the value of your savings and the income from them will fall as well as rise.

Stock Market Index

An index shows how a specified portfolio of share prices are moving in order to give an indication of market trends.

Trustee	An institution or individual holding assets in trust.
Trust Deed	An instrument under seal creating a trust.

Yield

The amount of income generated by a fund's investments in relation to the current price.

MAAKL FUND PERFORMANCE SUMMARY AS AT 30 APRIL 2008

2008-05-28T01:07:00.000-07:00

MAAKL Wins FSDA Award with Microsoft's S+S Architecture

2008-05-27T23:20:00.000-07:00

Adoption of S+S architecture increases MAAKL’s agility amid today’s volatile business environment

Kuala Lumpur, May 27, 2008 – MAAKL Mutual Bhd (MAAKL) today announced the latest version of its in-house solution, MAAKL Home Office (MHO) Version 3.0 at a media briefing session held at its headquarters in Kuala Lumpur. The latest version of MHO leverages on Microsoft's Software + Services (S+S) architecture, resulting in an advanced, process driven sales and client management system that enables its unit trust advisers to provide more professional services to their customers.

Due to the innovativeness of MHO v3, MAAKL was selected to receive the best Home Office Appliance in the Windows in Financial Services Developer Awards (FSDA). The FSDA recognizes business or solutions developers in the banking, insurance and investment sectors, and MAAKL is one of five winners of this year’s awards. To add another feather to its crown, this is the first time an Asia Pacific country was given this prestigious award.

With MHO v3, advisers have increased flexibility and efficiency with report generation and client account management, cutting down on manual efforts. This is further enhanced by a reduction in on-site support required by IT personnel, less reliance on staff and resources, thus improving the company's returns on IT investment and overall customer satisfaction while reducing overall costs.

MAAKL Chief Executive Officer Wong Boon Choy said that MAAKL’s adviser-centric business model means its future lies in the hands of its unit trust professionals who need the right tools to meet the needs of its increasingly Web and investment savvy clientele base. The S+S architecture implemented by MAAKL is instrumental in equipping its unit trust advisers with new tools that will help them build their business professionally and keep a competitive edge over its rivals.

“To continue our lead in the technology space in the unit trust industry, we constantly look for innovative ideas that give us the quantum leap. This has lead to the development of MHO Version 3.0.”

Wong said that prior versions of MHO were primarily pre- and post-sales software used by its unit trusts advisers as well as clients. But as customers grow increasingly savvy with the Internet and rapid business expansion, the need for more up-to-date tools to meet today's knowledge-driven demand cannot be ignored. MAAKL decided to adopt Microsoft's S+S architecture in their latest version of MHO, consequently increasing speed and development efficiencies, greater opportunities for business expansion and better customer experience.

According to Jimmy Yeoh, Chief Executive Officer of MAAGNET Systems Sdn. Bhd, among the advantages of MHO v3 is a time-weighted rate of return capability that measures the compound growth rate of any portfolio by eliminating distortions resulting from the inflows of new money. Hence, it provides a clearer comparison point for the actual returns a particular fund is achieving overtime.

“Furthermore, as time-to-market for implementing new functionality has quickened with the updated technology, our advisers will be able to do more analysis and communicate information to their clients faster. Additionally, our unit trust advisers will find it more convenient to update our MHO remotely, without the need for installation CDs or on-site technical support."

The switch to an S+S architecture, a 'mixed' environment that combines the local in-house software (such as MHO) with “cloud” services, is the transformation aspect of MHO v3 over previous versions. S+S seeks to fuse the architectural strengths of enterprise solutions (such as Windows Server 2008), the Internet, desktop applications (such as Windows Vista) and mobile devices, giving MAAKL more flexibility, greater choice and enhanced capabilities. Additionally, it also combines the security, stability and high standards of in-house software with the speed and innovation of Internet-developed applications - a 'best-of-all-worlds' solution.

With S+S and MHO v3, MAAKL advisers can now access to their clients’ investment data anytime, anywhere with their notebooks and PDAs. With mobility and ease of access to data, the MAAKL advisers’ productivity and service level will certainly be enhanced. MHO v3 employs a wide range of Microsoft technologies, including aspects of Microsoft’s yet-to-be-released 2008 technology suite. The main components that make up MHO Version 3.0 are:·

Windows Server 2008·

Windows SQL Server 2008·

Visual Studio 2008

NET 3.5·

Windows Mobile 6,

Windows Vista

Also present at the event was Yasmin Mahmood, Managing Director of Microsoft Malaysia and Vincent Ler, General Manager, Enterprise and Partner Group, Microsoft Malaysia, who commended on the speed with which MAAKL has adopted its S+S architecture model to its MHO software solution.

“MAAKL’s decision to adopt the S+S architectural model is a testament to the developer productivity afforded by our platform, and demonstrates MAAKL’s confidence in a number of our leading products, like Microsoft SQL Server 2008 and Microsoft .NET Framework, to name a few,” said Vincent. “S+S represents the next industry shift which combines the capabilities of both software and services to deliver more compelling opportunities and solutions for our partners and customers. MAAKL’s adoption of S+S architecture is a timely move, and is ideally placed to capitalize on the move to Software-plus-Services because of the capabilities, choice and flexibility of its platform.

Vincent continued, “The S+S architecture model allows customers a platform to collaborate successfully with their customers, employees and suppliers. Importantly, it offers real insight and flexibility to pursue new strategies, operate across borders, and expand capabilities in tandem with business growth.”

He added that because MHO integrates efficiently with Microsoft products – such as Windows Server 2008 and Windows SQL Server 2008 – business and solution developers in the banking, insurance and investment industry can work with tools they are likely to be already familiar with, thereby lowering training cost and making it an economical solution to adopt.

“Overall, the adoption of the S+S architecture model will put us ahead of our competitors in the unit trust industry and will certainly make our unit trust advisers look more professional when dealing with their clients,” concluded Wong. The original version of MHO was first released in 2005, followed by Version 2.0 which was subsequently rolled out in April 2007. Among its features includes MAAKL Planners, which helps advisers guide their clients on the best way to allocate their assets in-line with their specific investment objectives. It also features a Client Account Management System (CAMS), a mobile office capability with features that include an asset rebalancing tool and unit trust investment reports, which enables advisers to manage and track their clients' investments anytime, anywhere. Version 2.0 also offered What-If Analysis, a fund price/index history charting tool, and fund/index comparisons so advisers can track the performance of target funds or indices against various benchmarks. The first stage of Version 3.0 is expected to be launched in 3Q2008.

### About MAAKL Mutual BhdIncorporated on 16 October 2000, MAAKL Mutual Bhd was formerly known as MAA Mutual Berhad. The shareholders of the company are MAA Corporation Sdn Bhd which holds 70% equity of the company, Khyra Liberty Sdn Bhd which holds 20% equity and the remaining 10% are held by individuals. The company, led by an experienced management team, is well-positioned to build the most professional unit trust force in the country. MAAKL Mutual currently manages 22 unit trust funds, including the 1st foreign unit trust fund in Malaysia – the MAAKL Pacific Fund.

Visit MAAKL Mutual online at www.maaklmutual.com.my.

About MicrosoftMicrosoft (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd (www.microsoft.com/malaysia) is a subsidiary of Microsoft Corporation and was incorporated on July 8, 1992. Founded in 1975, Microsoft is the worldwide leader in software, services and Internet technologies for personal and business computing. The company offers a wide range of products and services designed to empower people through great software – any time, any place and on any device.

NON-EPF INVESTMENT - INDIVIDUAL

2008-05-21T20:23:00.000-07:00

Q1.
Who can invest?
Individuals aged 18 and above from their last birthday.

Q2.
Can a person holding a red color identity card invest?
Yes.

Q3.
Can an account have more than one unitholder?
Yes, but only limited to one jointholder.

Q4.
Are there any circumstances in which an individual is not allowed to invest?
Yes, a minor below 18 years old. He / she must invest as a designated account holder together with a first holder who is 18 years old or above.

Q5.
If the Joint Holder for a joint account is below 18, must the Joint Holder sign on the investment form?
No.

Q6.
What will happen if the unitholder’s cheque payment is dishonoured / bounced / cancelled?
The company will notify the unitholder and his/her UT Adviser and the investment will be reversed and cancelled accordingly.

Q7.
What are the documents required for investment?
A first time investor is required to submit a duly completed fund application form and a photocopy of NRIC.
For subsequent investment in a new fund or for an additional investment, the investor is required to submit the Additional Investment Slip.

Q8.
How does an individual invest in MAAKL MUTUAL?
The prospective investor may contact our Customer Service Hotline at 03-2146 9581 or visit the nearest MAAKL MUTUAL branch office or contact me Saliza Salihuddin at slieza2711@gmail.com.

Q9.
Can a unitholder issue one cheque to invest into multiple funds?
Yes. A unitholder can issue one cheque for multiple funds and multiple accounts.

Q10.
What is the minimum and maximum amount to invest?
The minimum Initial and Additional investments are as follows:

Minimum nitial Investment - RM1000.00
Minimum Additional Investment - RM100.00

* Applicable to MAAKL Value Fund, MAAKL Balanced Fund and MAAKL Equity Index Fund.

Q11.
Where can a unitholder find information regarding MAAKL MUTUAL funds?
For more details, kindly visit our website at www.maaklmutual.com.my to view our fund prospectuses or contact our Customer Service Hotline at 03-2146 9581.

Q12.
Can a unitholder who has lost his two (2) hands invest?
Yes. He/She can provide a toe print or attach a photo of his/her disabled hands and get a witness to testify.

Q13.
Can a unitholder invest online?
Yes. If he/she is an existing MAAKL MUTUAL unitholder with Maybank or RHB internet banking, he/she can invest via www.maybank2u.com.my or www.rhbbank.com.my

Q14.
What is the cut-off time for investment?
The cut-off time for submission of investment via service counter at MAAKL MUTUAL branch offices, MAA branches and servicing branches is 3.00pm and Investment via online (www.maybank2u.com.my or www.rhbbank.com.my) is 4.30pm.

Q15.
Is there any free insurance provided?
Yes. Applicable only to MAAKL Syariah Index Fund and MAAKL Growth Fund with a minimum Net Asset Value (NAV) of RM10,000.00.

Q16.
Can a unitholder nominate a beneficiary for the Free Insurance?
Yes. He/She is required to fill in the beneficiary details at the “Beneficiary Column” of the Fund Application Form or Amendment of Unitholder’s Particulars Form for an existing investor.

Q17.
How is the price of my investment determined?
For applications received or deemed to have been received by The Manager before 3.00pm via service counter and 4.30pm via online (maybank2u.com) investment on any Business Day, units will issued at selling price (NAV) of the relevant fund calculated at the end of the Business Day (forward pricing) on which the applications were received.
Forward Pricing is the prices determined at the end of the Business Day at the close of Bursa Malaysia after the application to purchase units is received and accepted by the Manager.

EPF INVESTMENT (KWSP)

2008-05-21T18:29:00.000-07:00

Q1.
Who is eligible to invest in EPF Members Investment Scheme?
To be eligible, he/she must be below 55 years old or refer to www.kwsp.gov.my for more information.

Q2.
What are the documents required for investing in EPF Members Investment Scheme?
A completed Fund Application Form or Additional Investment Slip, KWSP 9N (AHL) and a certified true copy of NRIC (front and back on the same page of an A4 sized paper with a clear thumbprint).

Q3.
How often can a unitholder make a withdrawal from his/her EPF account for investment in unit trust?
Once every 3 months.

Q4.
What is the investment amount?
The amount to be withdrawn must not be less than RM1,000 and not more that 20 per cent of the amount exceeding the required Basic Savings in Account I. Refer to www.kwsp.gov.my for more information.

Q5.
Can a red color identity card holder invest?

Yes.

Q6.
Can an account have more than one unitholder?
No.

Q7.
What will happen if the investment is rejected by EPF?
The company will notify the unitholder and his/her UT Adviser and the investment will be reversed and cancelled accordingly.

Q8.
What are the documents issued to the unitholder once an investment has been made?
Acknowledgement of Application Received Letter.

Q9.
Can a unitholder who has lost his two (2) hands invest?
Yes. He/She can provide a toe print.

Q10.
How is the price of my investment determined?
For applications received or deemed to have been received by The Manager before 3.00pm via service counter on any Business Day, units will issued at selling price (NAV) of the relevant fund calculated at the end of the Business Day (forward pricing) on which the applications were received.
Forward Pricing is the prices determined at the end of the Business Day at the close of Bursa Malaysia after the application to purchase units is received and accepted by the Manager.

Q11.
Can a unitholder switch units into another fund or redeem the units before EPF disburse the payment to MAAKL MUTUAL?
No. Before EPF disburse the payment to MAAKL MUTUAL, the investment is considered as “Float” units. These units cannot be redeemed or switched into another fund. After EPF disburse the payment to MAAKL MUTUAL, the investment is considered as confirmed units and these units can be redeemed or switched into another fund.

Q12.
Can a unitholder transfer his/her EPF account to another person?
No.

Advice for Investors in Times of Uncertainty

2008-05-21T00:24:00.000-07:00

There is an old Chinese curse which says: “May you live in interesting times.”

Anyone with money invested in the stock market may feel that those times are upon us, and indeed that things are likely to become more interesting rather than less so in the months to come.

Jacques Magliolo, a South African investment and corporate strategist, has written a book entitled “The Millionaire Portfolio – Your Guide to Making Money on the Stock Market.” Not only does Jacques provide a solid introduction to the world of equity investing, he also dishes up a wealth of thought-provoking material for the more experienced investor.

Jacques warns of a few common pitfalls that investors should avoid. Although he directs this advice to the beginning investor, the more experienced among us should also take heed. In uncertain times, even experience may not save us from irrational acts. Jacques provides twelve “commandments” that we should all follow:

Don’t panic. It is human nature to panic at the first sign of trouble in the market. Bear trends can unsettle the most experienced investor, and the last thing you want to be doing is selling when the market is falling, only to buy again when it climbs.

Ignore market fever. Whichever way the market is moving; this should not affect your portfolio mix. Your long-term investment programme should be based on investment goals, time horizon, risk tolerance and personal financial circumstances. Short-term market movements should not cause you to mess with a good long-term strategy.

Do not abandon shares in which you believe. It is tempting to sell a share that falls in value without warning. Resist the temptation. Over time, shares have provided the highest returns and the greatest protection against inflation. Bonds may offer higher income, but are affected by interest rate changes. Cash reserves held in the money market are not going to protect you against inflation in the long run.

Avoid quick changes to a portfolio. As a general rule, it is not a good idea to make changes to a portfolio when the market is falling. Moving money from shares and bonds to more conservative investments in the hope of avoiding a loss or making a gain is seldom successful.

Invest regularly. Stock markets can be a little like casinos when you invest a large lump sum in a once-off investment. Invest at the top of the market, and you may not see decent returns for a very long time. It is often better to invest gradually, making the necessary changes over time in the allocation of assets to shares, bonds, and cash reserves. If an investment continues to be a worry, “sell to the sleeping point.” (The level at which you can sleep at night, and not lie awake worrying about the shares!) Gradual moves should be limited to 15% increments, e.g. an investor with a portfolio consisting of 75% shares and 25% bonds can move to 60% shares, 25% bonds and 15% in cash if equities are worrying them. When prices fall, investors can then move out of cash and back into equities.

Be diversified. Maintaining an investment mix of shares (for growth), bonds (for income) and short-term cash reserves (for stability) is a sensible way to hedge against many of the risks associated with investing. Remember that one of the key benefits of unit trust funds is their diversification. It is also wise, however, to diversify amongst different asset classes such as shares, bonds and money market funds.

Look before you leap. Every listed company is required to send potential investors a prospectus. Read it carefully, and compare the company’s objectives, costs and long-term performance against its competitors. Reinvest earnings. If you do not need the income, it is a very good idea to reinvest dividends and/or interest. Your earnings are then generating further earnings, beefing up your long-term investment returns.

Be realistic. The returns achieved by the three classes of financial assets (shares, bonds and cash) over the past ten years or so have provided investors with substantial capital gains. However, future returns may not be as impressive and investors should bear this in mind. In the long run, a balanced portfolio should nevertheless provide investors with a return which exceeds the average inflation rate.

Remember: “No pain, no gain.” Higher investment returns are generally accompanied by higher levels of risk. When investing in shares and bonds, you are going to incur losses in some years. However, in the long run the gains should offset the short-term pain.

Be patient. For an investor, the greatest ally is time. Once you have chosen a personal strategy, stick to it, even when markets fall. (The exception is when your personal circumstances demand some readjustments). Over time, the risk of losing money diminishes and the potential for profits increases.

Reassess periodically. Market movements change the value of an investment. It is important to maintain the portfolio percentage mix by regularly re-balancing your portfolio. You should do this at least once a year. Reference: The Millionaire Portfolio, by Jacques Magliolo.

The secret of investing in Unit Trust

2008-05-21T00:14:00.000-07:00

There are 3 common strategies used in unit trust investment.

1. Ringgit Cost Averaging
Regularly invest a fix amount in a unit trust fund regardless of market trend is called the Ringgit Cost Averaging strategy. The actual market performance is fluctuating. When the equity market is high, you buy less unit with the same amount. When the market is low, you buy more unit. For long term, you will get much more unit in the lower price range.

2. Portfolio Re-balancing
Portfolio re-balancing is the process of bringing the different asset classes back into proper relationship following a significant change in one or more. More simply stated, it is returning your portfolio to the proper mix of stocks, bonds and cash when they no longer conform to your plan.

Example:
You start investing 50% in equity and 50% in fixed income fund.1 year later, the equity rises and now your portfolio consist of 80% equity and 20% fixed income fund.To re-balance your portfolio, you should sell 30% of your total fund in equity and invest it in fixed income fund so that the portfolio is maintained.
This is the simple principle of buying low, and selling high.

3. Switching
Switching will lock in the gain you made in your unit trust investment. Switching fees are low and definitely lower than the upfront service charge. When you are making profit from an equity fund, you can switch it to some lower risk fund to lock the gain instead of selling it for cash. When the market turn low, you can switch it back to equity fund.

My name is Saliza Salihuddin (slieza2711@gmail.com). I am your Unit Trust Consultant attached with MAAKLMUTUAL Bhd. I am based in Kota Damansara. Feel free to contact me...

Beyond Savings: EPF provides more flexibility

2008-05-21T00:09:00.000-07:00

It is a welcomed move from Employees Provident Fund (EPF) to allow contributors to withdraw part of their funds and channel them to approved investment programmes.

As reported at The Star:

Under the new scheme, contributors, irrespectiveof age, will be able to withdraw from Account One what is in excess ofa “required amount” of savings as determined by the EPF and invest themoney in unit trusts.

Currently, contributors can only do so if they have in excess of RM50,000.This is one among a range of changes that the EPF is implementing instages to make it easier for contributors to exercise the option toaugment their savings for their retirement.

Using the tagline “Beyond Savings”, the EPF also hopes the changes willensure that contributors have enough money for retirement.

Other changes include:
MORE flexible withdrawals for contributors at age 55;
ALLOWING withdrawal of any amount irrespective of age for savings in excess of RM1mil;
ALLOWING withdrawals from Account Two for critical illness insurance;
WITHDRAWALS for housing loan instalments.

The new withdrawals flexibility will be available starting Feb 1 next year. Without the limitation of having at least RM50,000 in account one practiced previously, this means younger contributors will have the option to withdraw once in every quarter for riskier investment portfolio. Since riskier investment requires longer term to really reap the return and disregard the short term volatility, it is better for investors to start as young as possible.

Besides providing investment advantage to younger contributors, the other party of investment bodies will have more capital to invest locally and hopefully will boost the local market further. Currently, EPF doesn’t allow fund withdrawal for foreign investment.

Nonetheless, the unit trust sales force will be very happy to hear this news, including me.

ESTABLISHMENT OF SHARIAH COMMITTEE

2008-05-20T23:59:00.000-07:00

Introduction ::

Registered and licensed by the Securities Commission of Malaysia -- Provide and delivering Shariah opinions, acceptable to all four schools of law -- Shariah Advisory Services, both local and international, for --- >
Islamic Banking and Takaful institutions;

Unit trusts, Mutual funds, High Net-Worth Individuals and Asset Management companies;

-Issuance and structuring of Sukuk and Islamic REITs;
-SMEs, Leasing companies, cooperatives;
-IT / software companies and solution providers

Shariah Compliance Stock / Securities Screening :: Screening and determining the Shariah status of securities listed in the local as well as international stock exchanges, for both at Initial Public Offerings (IPO) or those existing securities listed in these exchanges -- Application of a rigorous and systematic securities screening methodology and tools

Shariah-based Institutions Implementation :: Development and implementation of Shariah-approved financial institutions -- Development of Shariah operation models -- Assisting MIS implementation in Islamic financial institutions

Shariah Audit As and when required by clients, we conduct Shariah audit on the administration, management and the operations of the client to ensure that all operational matters and activities comply with Shariah requirements. So, for Muslim.... Jgn ragu2 lagi.... Mulakan dari sekarang.... Rugi oooo

Untuk maklumat lanjut, sila hubungi saya di slieza2711@gmail.com. Peluang Menjana PENDAPATAN --- Sila layari blog ini.

APA ITU UNIT AMANAH?

2008-05-20T23:47:00.000-07:00

Q1. Apakah unit amanah?

Unit amanah merupakan skim pelaburan yang mengumpulkan wang daripada ramai pelabur yang berkongsi matlamat kewangan yang sama. Sebagai pertukaran kepada wang itu dana menerbitkan unit kepada pelabur yang dikenali sebagai pemegang unit. Dana tersebut akan diuruskan oleh sekumpulan pengurus professional yang akan melabur wang tersebut dalam pelbagai portfolio seperti ekuiti, sekuriti pendapatan tetap dan aset-aset lain. Pemegang unit boleh menjual semula (iaitu menebus) unit mereka kepada dana, atau membeli (dan menjual) unit seterusnya.

Q2. Apakah kelebihannya melabur dalam unit amanah?
Kepelbagaian Pelaburan - Pelabur dalam saham amanah selalunya dapat menyertai sekuriti yang lebih luas berbanding pelaburan secara perseorangan. Dengan modal yang sedikit pelabur dalam unit amanah berpeluang menyertai lebih banyak sektor berbanding yang dibuat secara persendirian.
Kepelbagaian pelaburan boleh mengurangkan risiko kepada pelabur-pelabur. Kerugian di beberapa kaunter boleh diimbangi oleh keuntungan diperolehi di kaunter lain. Sekiranya pelabur melabur dalam beberapa dana iaitu tidak terhad kepada satu dana sahaja, pelabur akan meminimumkan risikonya.
Pengurusan Profesional sepenuh masa - Anda akan mendapat faedah daripada pengurus pelaburan yang profesional dan berpengalaman untuk menguruskan pelaburan anda sepenuh masa berbanding pelabur perseorangan yang mungkin membuat pelaburan secara rambang. Pengurus dana akan sentiasa mengawasi prestasi pelaburan anda dan memastikan wang anda dilaburkan sebaik mungkin berdasarkan maklumat yang telah diselidiki.
Tahap kecairan yang tinggi - Urusniaga unit amanah lebih mudah berbanding melabur terus dalam sesebuah syarikat dimana harga dan peluang untuk membuat urus niaga bergantung kepada penawaran dan permintaan saham pada masa itu. Pelabur di unit amanah boleh menjual sebahagian atau kesemua saham mereka pada bila-bila masa.
Pertumbuhan modal - Pelaburan dalam unit amanah mempunyai potensi untuk memberikan para pelabur pulangan yang berpatutan secara berterusan dalam jangkamasa sederhana dan panjang menerusi pengagihan pendapatan (jika ada) dan kenaikan nilai modal.

Q3. Bagaimanakah menentukan jenis dana yang sesuai untuk saya?
Sebagai seorang pelabur, anda perlu mengambil kira faktor berikut :
Apakah objektif atau matlamat pelaburan anda
Beberapa matlamat biasa termasuk simpanan untuk pendidikan anak-anak, mengekalkan modal dan perolehan pendapatan buat masa kini.
Berapa lamakan anda bercadang untuk melabur?
Pada amnya, semakin lama tempoh pelaburan, semakin cerah peluang anda mendapat pulangan yang lebih baik.
Apakah jenis pulangan yang anda harapkan?
Melalui pengagihan pendapatan atau melalui kenaikan nilai modal.
Berapa tinggikah risiko yang sanggup anda terima ?
Lebih tinggi risiko lebih tinggi pulangan.

Q4. Apakah risiko-risiko melabur dalam unit amanah?
Semua pelaburan mempunyai risiko. Risiko melabur dalam unit amanah adalah seperti berikut :
Risiko Pasaran - Pada keseluruhannya pasaran saham adalah tertakluk kepada turun naik harga saham dan keadaan ini mempengaruhi harga unit-unit dana kerana sebahagian besar pelaburan Dana ini terdiri dari saham-saham yang diuruskan di BSKL.
Pulangan Pendapatan - Pulangan pendapatan sekiranya ada, yang dibayar kepada anda adalah berpunca dari pendapatan dari semasa ke semasa. Oleh yang demikian kadar pembayaran tidak dapat ditentukan lebih awal.
Risiko pembiayaan pinjaman - Jika anda mendapat kemudahan pinjaman untuk membeli unit, anda hendaklah faham bahawa:
Pembelian melalui pinjaman mungkin mendatangkan keuntungan atau kerugian
Sekirannya nilai pelaburan merosot di bawah sesuatu tahap tertentu, anda mungkin dikehendaki mengurangkan jumlah baki pinjaman di suatu tahap yang diperlukan oleh institusi kewangan yang memberi pinjaman.
Kemampuan anda membayar balik ansuran pinjaman mungkin akan terjejas di masa hadapan oleh perkara yang tidak diduga.

Q5. Bagaimanakah untuk menyertai skim pelaburan Ahli KWSP?
Anda hendaklah terlebih dahulu mendapatkan penyata jumlah yang boleh dilabur serta Borang KWSP 9F (AHL) di mana-mana pejabat KWSP. Anda dikehendaki mengemukakan penyata jumlah yang boleh dilabur, sesalinan Kad Pengenalan, borang KWSP 9F (AHL) dan borang permohonan.

Q6. Bagaimanakah cara mengira nilai pelaburan saya?
Nilai pelaburan anda boleh ditentukan dengan mendarabkan jumlah pelaburan (unit) yang dipegang dengan harga belian (seunit) semasa.

Q7. Di manakah boleh saya mendapatkan atau menyemak harga pasaran unit dana?
Harga pasaran boleh didapati di semua akhbar harian utama tempatan berbahasa Melayu dan Inggeris dan laman web.

Q8. Adakah Pengurus menghadkan jumlah unit yang hendak di jual balik?
Pengurus tidak menghadkan jumlah unit minimum dan kekerapan pemegang-pemegang unit untuk belian balik atau penebusan unit. Walau bagaimanapun, jika anda ingin menjual sebahagian daripada unit pelaburan, anda perlu mengekalkan sekurang-kurangnya 100 unit.

Q9. Berapa lamakah saya mendapat bayaran tersebut?
Pembayaran untuk belian balik akan dibuat oleh Pengurus dalam tempoh tidak melebihi 10 hari dari tarikh permohonan diterima.

Q10. Apakah jaminan terhadap harga-harga unit bagi dana ini?
Harga unit akan meningkat atau menurun mengikut pasaran. Sekiranya keadaan pasaran meningkat, nilai unit-unit anda turut meningkat begitu juga sebaliknya.

Untuk maklumat lanjut, sila hubungi saya di slieza2711@gmail.com.

My name is Saliza Salihuddin (slieza2711@gmail.com). I am your Unit Trust Consultant attached with MAAKLMUTUAL Bhd. I am based in Kota Damansara. Feel free to contact me...

Why Choose Unit Trust?

2008-05-07T01:52:00.000-07:00

Unit Trust is a collective investment scheme that pools the savings of a large number of investors. The money collected is invested by the fund manager in different types of stocks, bonds, or other securities in various proportions depending upon the objective of the fund.

The income earned through these investments and the capital appreciation realized by the scheme, after deducting the trading costs and expenses of managing and administering the fund are paid out to the unit holders in proportion to the number of units owned by them.

Most of the unit trust funds in Malaysia are open-ended funds (the fund sells as many units as you and other investors want to buy and buys as many units you want to sell). This makes unit trust funds very liquid investments – though the price at which you sell may be less than your purchase price if the value of the fund has dropped.
You can make an initial investment with as little as RM1,000 and buy additional units when you have more money or invest a fixed amount on a regular monthly schedule via a bank account. Thus unit trust is the most suitable investment for the common man as it offers an opportunity to invest in a diversified, professionally managed portfolio.

Each Fund has a defined investment objective and strategy.

Types of Unit Trusts

2008-05-07T01:34:00.000-07:00

Unit trusts are considered good instruments for medium- to long-term financial plans. However, it is important that you choose the appropriate fund depending on your risk profile and investment objectives. Listed here are the types of unit trusts currently available in the market:

Income funds: Invest in fixed income securities and huge dividend-yielding shares with the view to pay out most of the returns. Suitable for investors seeking income and some level of growth at low risks.

Capital growth funds: Invest primarily in shares with the view to maximise capital growth over the long-term (i.e. through a higher unit price). Appeal to high-risk investors keen on capital accumulation.

Aggressive growth funds: Similar to capital growth funds but with investments in aggressive, fast track shares that promise high returns - with higher risk. Generally suitable for high-risk investors.

Balanced funds: Have three objectives: income, moderate capital appreciation and capital preservation. Invest across a broad spread of asset categories including shares, fixed income securities and cash. Well-diversified and suitable for investors looking for reasonably safe investments where the risks are lower and which produce average returns.

Index funds: Invest in a basket of shares that tracks a selected stock market index. Bond funds: Invest only in fixed income securities such as bonds and short-term money-market instruments. All bond funds are subject to interest rate risk and most to credit or default risk of the issuers.

Money market funds: Invest only in short-term money market instruments such as treasury bills, negotiable certificates of deposit and bankers acceptances, with maturity of less than 90 days. Since the funds invest in money market instruments, the returns, while small, are generally more attractive compared to saving deposits. Good for investors looking for liquidity, and perhaps a temporary place to park their funds before they commit to other funds.

Islamic funds: Managed according to Syariah principles; invest in shares and fixed income securities which excludes non-halal shares and interest-bearing money market instruments.

State funds: Managed by the state development corporations for investors from the respective states.

What is a unit trust? Starting From Scratch....

2008-05-06T22:52:00.000-07:00

Unit trusts have grown in popularity in recent years. It's not hard to figure out why. Unit trusts are the small investor's answer to achieving wide investment diversification without having to come out with prohibitive sums of money. And the benefits do not end at that.

But first, what is a unit trust? A unit trust fund is an investment scheme that pools money from many investors who share the same financial objectives. In exchange for the money, the fund issues units to the investors who are known as unit holders. Unit holders can sell (known as redeeming) their units back to the fund, or buy (and sell) further units.

WHAT IS A UNIT TRUST ?

A unit trust is a financial vehicle through which individuals may invest their money. The idea behind unit trust is better investment through collective investing. That is to say pooling the investments of many investors, individuals and institutions.
Investing in a unit trust offers investors numerous advantages, including :

a. Professional management at a low cost
b. Safety through the spreading of risk (diversification)
c. Liquidity
d. Ease of transaction
e. Capital appreciation/income stream

The operation of a unit trust may be best explained by outlining its similarities with the operation of a bank, with which most individuals are familiar.

Many individuals deposit money in the banks, for which they receive interest. These individuals expect complete liquidity where they must be able to withdraw their deposits in cash at any time. The banks employ professional managers to look after the deposits. The deposits are invested. These managers lend the deposits to other individuals requiring funds and a host of other profit generating facilities of the banks.

Similarly, unit trust holders wish to put their money to generate higher returns. The goal of all investments is to make money more productive, either through producing income or growth. Unit trust holders have liquidity because their units can be readily converted into cash at any time. By investing in unit trusts, it allows them to engage professional fund managers at a low cost to the individual investors. These managers diversifies the investible funds in many different securities and other approved channels to spread the risk.
The unit trust is constituted through a document known as a deed which brings together and binds the various parties to the deed :

· The trustee, who holds the assets of the trusts on behalf of the unitholders.
· The manager, who is the promoter of the scheme and provides investment and administrative expertise and markets units to the public
· The unitholders who provide the funds for investment and expect to receive the benefits derived from the investment. The effect of dividing the beneficiaries' interest in the trust into units is that their interest is quantified into discrete portions.
Particular advantages of unit trusts over the pooled investments include :
· The provision of an independent trustee to hold the trust's assets on behalf of unitholders and to watch over their interests on an on-going basis.
· The deed and prospectus are scrutinised by government authorities, prior to an offer of units being made to the general public. The managers and trustee are themselves approved by the regulators.
· A buy back provision or covenant in each deed which requires the manager to redeem an investor's units within specified time limits at a price determined in accordance with the deed.

Provisions in the deed under which the manager and trustee are in a fiduciary position in relation to the trust (i.e. they can only profit in ways laid down under the deed). The investor can determine in advance what costs and charges they will be required to pay to join and stay in the trust.