The Securities Commission Malaysia (SC) is working closely with capital market institutions to equip Malaysian investors with the necessary investment literacy to achieve their financial goals.

“The SC would like to see greater financial inclusion and better investment capability among Malaysians,” said Dato’ Ahmad Fairuz Zainol Abidin, Deputy Chief Executive of SC, at the launch event of SC’s InvestSmart Fest, held at the Mid Valley Exhibition Centre from 23 to 25 September 2016.

“We are working with capital market institutions to reach out to investors and encourage them to take charge of their financial situation. Investment literacy is a lifelong skill that every Malaysian should acquire to better navigate through the investment landscape to achieve their financial goals,” according to Dato’ Ahmad Fairuz.

Malaysia has a well-established capital market of the size of RM2.9 trillion, with diverse products from stocks, unit trust, bonds, derivatives to exchange-traded funds and private retirement schemes as well as equity crowdfunding. Thus, it is beneficial for Malaysians to proactively learn about what to invest in, based on their individual risk-reward profiles, and how to do it wisely, he added.

Investor education has long been an important function of the SC’s mandate. It reaches out to all segments of the general public throughout Malaysia via its “SC in the Community” roadshows. It also conducts various seminars and training programmes, such as ‘Kids & Cash’, ‘Be Money Wise’ and stock market and unit trust seminars. To further raise the level of understanding of capital market for more informed investor participation, the SC launched InvestSmart in 2014, with the support of other stakeholders in the capital market to jointly educate the public to “Invest the Smart Way”.

The SC has also made information available via various channels including the InvestSmart website, facebook page and mobile applications. Capitalising on digital media has allowed the SC to provide wider-reaching platforms to engage the public, and place helpful investment tools and information in the palms of their hands.

For more information, please visit www.investsmartsc.my or facebook.com/InvestSmartSC.