Over 1,500 attend one-day programme targeting Indian community in Skudai
A FINANCIAL literacy carnival in Johor gave members of the Indian community an opportunity to boost their financial knowledge and investment awareness.
The fifth stop of the Financial Literacy Carnival by Malaysian Indian Transformation Unit (Mitra) in collaboration with Bursa Malaysia Bhd, saw more than 1,500 people attending.
Mitra director-general G. Prabagaran said turnout at the one-day programme reflected strong interest in improving personal finance skills and understanding government-regulated investment schemes.
“The programme was organised because awareness of financial literacy within the Indian community is relatively low.
“We want to ensure participants have the knowledge and confidence to manage their finances effectively.
“The carnival is designed to equip them with practical knowledge on managing personal finances, saving, scheme investments and avoiding financial scams.
“The aim is for participants to leave with a clearer understanding of how to manage their money wisely and make informed financial decisions in their daily lives,” he said after launching the event at Dewan Raya Taman Universiti in Skudai, Johor Baru.
Prabagaran added that the programme aligned with the government’s aspiration to uplift the socio-economic standing of the Indian community through better understanding of financial systems and equity ownership.
He said a significant portion of participants were young Indian adults, many of whom work in Singapore.
“We want to ensure they manage their funds wisely, avoid overspending on luxury items and invest in the right schemes,” he said.
Prabagaran added that participants also attended talks by financial and investment experts.
He said that the Johor Baru edition followed similar carnivals held in Kuala Lumpur, Sungai Petani, Shah Alam and Ipoh.
“Four more locations are scheduled; Penang in April, followed by Negri Sembilan, Pahang and Melaka.
“The programme attracted about 3,000 participants across the earlier series.”
Some 11 booths were set up at the carnival, including by Employees Provident Fund (EPF), Credit Counselling and Debt Management Agency, (AKPK), Yayasan Kebajikan Negara, Tekun Nasional, Implementation Coordination Unit of the Prime Minister’s Department, Bursa Malaysia and other agencies offering advisory services and information.
