Income distribution of 5.25 sen a unit for ASB investors

PETALING JAYA: Unit trust management company Amanah Saham Nasional Bhd (ASNB), a wholly owned subsidiary of Permodalan Nasional Bhd (PNB), today declared a total income distribution of 5.25 sen a unit for its flagship fund, Amanah Saham Bumiputera (ASB), for the financial year ending Dec 31, 2023 (FY23).

The total distribution consists of an income distribution of 4.25 sen a unit and a bonus of one sen a unit. The total payout amounts to RM9.3 billion and will benefit 10.8 million ASB unitholders.

ASB continues to deliver sustainable and competitive returns, outperforming the benchmark of Maybank’s 12-month fixed deposit interest rate. The number of ASB accounts increased by more than 200,000 to 10.8 million in 2023, indicating continued confidence in ASB as an essential savings and investment tool for bumiputeras in their financial planning.

PNB Group chairman Raja Tan Sri Arshad Raja Tun Uda said, “Despite the volatile market conditions, PNB has consistently delivered competitive returns through our fixed price funds, of which all had outperformed their benchmark over the years. Therefore, people are encouraged to continue saving for the long term and a secure future. We recognise the importance of championing financial literacy and guided by our recently refreshed purpose – ‘To Uplift the Financial Lives of Malaysians Across Generations’, we are committed to serving our unitholders and delivering competitive outcomes.”

This year, he added, PNB saw an increase in the number of accounts to 15.6 million as of October 2023 (from 15.2 million last year).

“The sustained popularity of our unit trust products was evident through the findings from the 2023 RinggitPlus Malaysian Financial Literacy Survey with ASNB products maintaining their position as the most popular investment choice,” he said.

PNB president and group chief executive Ahmad Zulqarnain Onn said, “ASB has recorded a strong performance, resulting from our asset allocation and diversification strategies. A number of landmark transactions were executed to enhance value for unitholders. ASB continues to be the investment of choice for millions of bumiputeras delivering consistent returns, and forming an integral part of the savings plan for over 10.8 million customers.”

The year witnessed the launch of the refreshed myASNB Superapp to provide enhanced customer journey and experience to unitholders, as well as PNB’s inaugural Integrated Annual Report, which embedded sustainability within the group’s reporting framework to elevate its reporting standards and transparency, in accordance with global best practices.

Meanwhile, following the launch of ASN Sukuk Fund in November 2022, PNB has seen healthy demand from unitholders with more than one billion units sold.

“PNB continued to demonstrate its resilience in navigating the uncertainties of 2023. As we move into a new year and charting new opportunities, we will continue with our investment strategies and remaining steadfast in our commitment to deliver our mandate,” said Ahmad Zulqarnain.

Moving into 2024, PNB will embrace innovation and digitalisation to enhance unitholders’ experience, while keeping itself on track in delivering the 10 Environmental, Social and Governance Commit-ments. PNB will also be more active in championing financial literacy.

Among the initiatives are offering Auto Labur, a recurring investment function on myASNB app to boost the savings habit, and promoting ASNB Academy, a financial literacy tool accessible to all Malaysians which serves as a knowledge hub and reference centre on investment and financial planning.

The computation of the income distribution for ASB is based on the average minimum monthly balance held throughout the fund’s financial year. The units reinvested from the income distribution will be credited into unitholders’ accounts on Jan 1, 2024.

Transactions for ASB at ASNB branches and agents, including all online channels and internet banking, will be suspended from today to Dec 25.

A special feature will be introduced this year to encourage Malaysians to continue saving, which allows additional cash investments in ASB starting Dec 26. These investment transactions will be taken into account for the monthly minimum balance in January 2024, allowing unitholders to enjoy the full calculation of income distribution from next month.