In an announcement, Amanah Saham Nasional Berhad (ASNB), the wholly-owned unit trust management company of Permodalan Nasional Berhad (PNB), revealed a total income distribution of 5.25 sen per unit for the financial year ending December 31, 2023, for its flagship unit fund, Amanah Saham Bumiputera (ASB).
The declared amount comprises an income distribution of 4.25 sen per unit and a bonus of 1.00 sen per unit. Notably, this income distribution surpasses the benchmark set by Maybank’s 12-month Fixed Deposit rate, which averaged 2.85% throughout the year.
The number of ASB accounts experienced a significant increase, reaching 10.8 million accounts, with over 200,000 new accounts added. This growth reflects sustained confidence in ASB as a crucial savings and investment instrument for the Bumiputera community in their financial planning.
Comparing the income distribution to the previous financial year ending December 31, 2022, the current distribution shows improvement. The 2022 distribution amounted to 3.35 sen per unit with a bonus of 1.25 sen per unit, along with an additional bonus of 0.50 cents per unit for the first 30,000 units held by ASB unit holders.
Raja Tan Sri Arshad Raja Tun Uda, Chairman of PNB Group, emphasized PNB’s commitment to delivering competitive returns through its fixed price funds despite market fluctuations. He encouraged long-term saving for a secure financial future, echoing the group’s refreshed purpose of “Uplifting the Financial Lives of Malaysians Across Generations.”
The increase in accounts, reaching 15.6 million as of October 2023, from 15.2 million the previous year, was attributed to the popularity and attractiveness of ASNB’s products. ASNB products maintained their position as the most popular investment choice, as highlighted in the 2023 RinggitPlus Malaysian Financial Literacy Survey.
Ahmad Zulqarnain Onn, President and Chief Executive of the PNB Group, noted ASB’s strong performance resulting from effective asset accumulation and diversification strategies. He highlighted significant business transactions that were implemented to enhance value for unit holders, making ASB a preferred investment for millions of Bumiputeras.
The income distribution calculation for ASB is based on the average minimum monthly balance held throughout the fund’s financial year. Reinvested units from the income distribution will be credited into unitholders’ accounts on January 1, 2024.
Temporary suspension of transactions for ASB at ASNB branches and agents, including online channels and internet banking, is scheduled from December 22 to 25, 2023. However, a special feature introduced this year allows additional cash investment transactions in ASB starting December 26, 2023, with these transactions considered for the monthly minimum balance in January 2024.
Unitholders can resume transactions at all channels starting January 1, 2024, for online channels and internet banking, and January 2, 2024, for ASNB branches and agents.