Keynote Speech at the #ISaveinPRS Year End Treats Campaign Launch

Speaker: En. Shahrul Amry, Director, Market Development, Securities Commission Malaysia

Location: Securities Commission Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur
Delivered: 11 August 2026

YM Dato’ Dr.Tengku Aizan, Chairman of PPA,

Members of the PPA Board, and

En. Taufik Iskandar, Chief Executive Officer of PPA,

Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,

Good morning.
Firstly, I would like to express my appreciation to the Private Pension Administrator Malaysia for inviting the Securities Commission Malaysia to deliver the keynote address at the launch of the I Save in PRS year end treats 2026 Campaign.
This occasion is significant as it brings together the PRS industry with a shared objective of strengthening Malaysia’s retirement savings ecosystem by encouraging younger Malaysians to start saving early, and to keep saving consistently, through PRS.
Today, I would like to share the encouraging progress of Malaysia's private retirement ecosystem and the growing role of PRS in supporting retirement preparedness. In addition, the positive impact of industry-led initiatives in encouraging greater participation and fostering a stronger savings culture among Malaysians. And finally, the importance of sustaining this momentum through continued collaboration, innovation and engagement to strengthen long-term retirement outcomes for future generations.

Evolution of Malaysia’s Retirement Ecosystem

Ladies and gentlemen,

Malaysia’s private retirement ecosystem has reached yet another significant milestone with assets under management surpassing RM10 billion for the first time. As at June 2026, AUM reached a record high of RM11.0 billion representing 43% year-on-year growth from June 2025 and 21% growth year to date.
It is also noteworthy that AUM has outpaced the fund management industry. CAGR for PRS has grown by 17 % between 2020 and June 2026. This strong growth has been supported by a steadily expanding membership base, which surpassed 695,000 members as at June 2026, representing a 9.8% increase year-on-year. Collectively, these achievements underscore the growing confidence of Malaysians in PRS and the industry's success in positioning PRS as an important pillar of long-term retirement planning.
These trends show a PRS ecosystem that is seeing strong momentum, with robust AUM growth and broadening participation. The focus now is to convert this momentum into earlier and more consistent saving habits, which is what iSaveinPRS year-end treats aims to drive.

#ISaveInPRS year-end treats 2026 Campaign

Ladies and gentlemen,

The encouraging growth that we are witnessing today did not happen by chance. It reflects the collective commitment of the industry to continuously engage Malaysians on the importance of retirement preparedness and to encourage more proactive participation in PRS. In this regard, I would like to commend PPA and the PRS industry for the successful execution of various initiatives and campaigns over the years that have helped strengthen public awareness, improve participation and reinforce the importance of long-term retirement planning.
The success of the 2025 I Save in PRS Treats Campaign is a testament to these efforts. The campaign successfully engaged approximately 140,000 participants, with average contributions of RM2,600 per member, and contributed to a 5% increase in average member savings balances, demonstrating that targeted initiatives can translate awareness into meaningful retirement outcomes.
Building on this momentum, PPA's earlier of this year campaign initiatives have continued to deliver encouraging results. The I Save in PRS Kickstart 2026 Campaign successfully attracted over 6,619 new enrolments, demonstrating growing interest among Malaysians in taking charge of their retirement planning. This strong response reflects increasing awareness of the importance of starting early and saving consistently for retirement.
Against this backdrop, the I Save in PRS Year-End Treats 2026 Campaign seeks to build on this momentum by encouraging a shift in behaviour from viewing PRS primarily as a year-end tax planning tool to embracing it as a disciplined, long-term wealth accumulation vehicle. The campaign promotes earlier and more consistent contributions throughout the year, allowing members to maximise the benefits of long-term investing and compounding.

Ladies and gentlemen,

Equally important is the industry's ongoing effort to re-engage inactive members and encourage more consistent participation. Through the PRS Treats initiative, campaign rewards are channelled back into members' PRS accounts in the form of additional units, reinforcing the principle that every contribution, and every reward, can continue working towards building long-term retirement wealth. This is particularly meaningful given the strong performance delivered by PRS funds, which recorded an average 1-year return of 20.28% as at 30 June 2026, demonstrating the potential benefits of remaining invested and participating consistently over time.
We are also encouraged by PPA's ongoing efforts to enhance member experience through the enhanced Member Portal. This initiative will make retirement planning more accessible and convenient by providing members with a consolidated view of their retirement savings and helping them better monitor their progress towards their retirement goals. Such efforts are important in supporting greater engagement and encouraging more consistent participation over the long term.
Taken together, these initiatives reflect a broader and encouraging shift towards more intentional retirement planning among Malaysians. By helping individuals start earlier, save more consistently and remain engaged with their retirement objectives, campaigns such as I Save in PRS Year-End Treats 2026 play an important role in strengthening retirement adequacy and building a stronger savings culture for future generations.

Future enhancements to the PRS framework

Ladies and gentlemen,

The performance and progress we have discussed today reflect the strong foundations that have been built by the PRS industry over the years. However, we must also recognise that the environment in which PRS operates continues to evolve. Malaysians are living longer, retirement needs are becoming more complex and expectations around financial products and services are changing, particularly among younger generations. As such, the challenge before us is not only to sustain this momentum, but also to ensure that PRS remains relevant, accessible and valuable for future generations of Malaysians.
In this regard, the SC is working closely with PPA to explore opportunities to further strengthen the PRS ecosystem. This includes exploring options to facilitate a wider range of investments for PRS members, including the potential for access to Bursa-listed ETFs, stocks and Malaysian bonds, while continuing to safeguard members' long-term retirement interests.
Ultimately, our goal is to ensure that PRS continues to evolve alongside the needs of Malaysians while remaining focused on its core purpose of supporting long-term retirement security. By fostering innovation, expanding investment opportunities and encouraging broader participation, we can further strengthen the role of PRS as an important pillar of retirement preparedness and help deliver better retirement outcomes for current and future generations.

Conclusion

Ladies and gentlemen,

As I conclude, I would like to commend PPA and the PRS industry for your continued commitment to strengthening Malaysia’s retirement ecosystem and improving long-term outcomes for Malaysians. The progress achieved to date reflects dedication, collaboration, and a shared sense of responsibility towards improving long-term retirement outcomes for Malaysians.
Looking ahead, the focus must be on sustaining momentum and encouraging higher, more consistent contributions to support retirement adequacy, and this is where initiatives like I Save in PRS year end treats 2026 play an important role in catalysing early participation and reinforcing long-term saving habits.
As we launch the I Save in PRS Year-End Treats 2026 Campaign today, we are encouraged by the strong momentum generated through previous initiatives and campaigns. We hope this year's initiative will reach even more Malaysians and deliver even stronger outcomes. More importantly, we hope it will inspire a lasting shift towards proactive retirement planning, encouraging individuals to start saving earlier, contribute more consistently and harness the benefits of long-term compounding in securing their financial future.
Thank you.