Equipping consumers with financial and investment literacy is crucial to enable them to protect themselves, cope with unexpected events, and ensure their financial well-being.
“With the growing sophistication of the capital market, the number of financial and investment decisions that consumers have to make is increasing. Longer life expectancy also means there is a need to ensure that accumulated savings are enough to cover longer period of retirement. Consumers are also responsible for the financial products they decide to purchase and will have to face the consequences of their choice.,” said Tan Sri Ranjit Ajit Singh, Chairman of SC.
Ranjit was speaking during the launch ceremony of InvestSmart® Fest 2017, an initiative by Securities Commission Malaysia (SC) last Friday. It was officiated by Brig. Jeneral Khairy Jamaluddin Abu Bakar, Minister of Youth and Sports Malaysia at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre.
Held annually, the three-day InvestSmart Fest from 13 to 15 October 2017 aims to promote financial and investment literacy in order to enhance investor empowerment. Themed “Invest For Your Future”, InvestSmart® Fest 2017 is in line with SC’s efforts in promoting long term savings and investments, and retirement planning.
Since the launch of InvestSmart® by Khairy in 2014, the SC has reached out to over 1 million Malaysians through seminars, roadshows, and engagement with community leaders (SC-In-The-Community Programme) nationwide.
The use of digital channels such as websites, Facebook page and mobile app has allowed SC to also reach out to the tech-savvy and younger Malaysian demography.