Ringgit and Sense

This week on Ringgit & Sense, producer Jake Lim speaks with Dr Song Bee Lian, Associate Professor, School of Management and Business, MILA University to talk about consumer behavior in Malaysia, including BNPL usage, what marketing tactics are most effective on Malaysian shoppers, how instant gratification can negatively affect you, and more.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on Ringgit & Sense, producer Jake Lim will be having a chat with Fazrul Farouk, licensed financial planner with I-Max Financial on the proposed monthly withdrawals from EPF for retirees - is this scheme better than the old lump-sum withdrawal?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on Ringgit & Sense, producer Jake Lim will be having a chat with Fung Mei Lin, Private Business Leader, PwC Malaysia about family offices in Malaysia - why it can be beneficial for high net worth families, what to consider when setting one up, the incentives offered by our government, and more.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on Ringgit & Sense, producer Jake Lim speaks to Linnet Lee, a licensed financial planner on some aspects of retirement that’s not often talked about - the psychological and emotional difficulties that some people might face after they step away from full-time work.Image Credit: Shutterstock.com   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on Ringgit & Sense, producer Jake Lim sits down with Chee Minh, a freelance photographer who’s been in the industry for 16 years to talk about the money aspect of being a full time gig worker - whether you can sustain yourself by just doing gig work, the importance of discipline required, and should you try regular employment first before diving into being a freelancer?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on Ringgit & Sense, producer Jake Lim is joined by Khairi Shahrin Arief Baki, Deputy CEO at CGS International to talk about the variety of asset classes that are available to Malaysian investors, and what strategies should consider when making your choices, whether as a first-time or veteran investor.Image Credits: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on Ringgit & Sense, producer Jake Lim is joined by Felix Neoh, Director of Financial Planning at Finwealth Management to talk about the OPR - what it is, why Bank Negara decided to cut it by 25 basis points last week, and how it will affect your finances.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on Ringgit & Sense, producer Jake Lim sits down with Siew Yuen Tuck, CEO of Ringgitplus to talk about the RinggitPlus Malaysian Financial Literacy Survey 2024 which was published last year, and his observations on the findings since then.Image Credits: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on Ringgit & Sense, producer Jake Lim sits down with Alvin Tan, President of the Financial Planning Association of Malaysia (FPAM) to talk about aspects of personal finance that Malaysian Gen Zers find the most challenging, and how that gap can be bridged.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On Ringgit & Sense this week, producer Jake Lim sits down with Thanneermalai Somasundaram, Managing Director, Thannees Tax Consulting Services, and Dr Afzanizam Abdul Rashid, Chief Economist, Bank Muamalat in a two-parter episode on the potential impact of the expansion of the Sales and Service tax.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on Ringgit & Sense, producer Jake Lim is joined by Yuvarajan Periyan, licensed financial planner with Uno Adviser’s Sdn. Bhd in revisiting the age old question, “Should you buy or rent a home?”. They’ll be discussing whether it’s tougher nowadays for Malaysians to purchase property, what it takes to successfully get a housing loan, the hidden costs involved, and more.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, producer Jake Lim asks the question: “Should we be investing in gold?”, because the precious metal’s price has gone up about 26% year-to-date, and has attempted to break its all-time high price twice this year. For this conversation, he will be speaking to Robin Lee, former CFO of the World Gold Council, as well as the former CEO of HelloGold, which ceased operations in 2023.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on Ringgit & Sense, producer Jake Lim will be joined by Stephen Yong, Executive Director at Wealth Vantage Advisory to discuss how you and I can achieve financial independence, and whether the much-talked-about FIRE method is a realistic way to do it.Image Credit: Shutterstock.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on Ringgit & Sense, producer Jake Lim is joined by Ngan Teng Chee, Executive Director of SP Investment Management Sdn Bhd, a licensed fund manager regulated by the Securities Commission to discuss asset allocation and portfolio rebalancing. Why these exercises matter, how often to do them, and how local investors can think about diversifying across asset classes.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on Ringgit & Sense, producer Jake Lim talks to Jack Lin, CEO of Axen Alpha Advisory about the different financial planning certifications available in Malaysia, what individuals have to do to become a licensed financial planner, how to spot red flags when speaking to one, as well as how to file a complaint when a financial planner isn’t acting in your best interest.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on Ringgit & Sense, producer Jake Lim is joined by Kimberly Law, licensed financial planner and co-founder of Uno Advisers to talk about FOMO, specifically of the financial variety. This is when you see a friend with the latest smartphone, for example, and now you feel tempted to get one. Just how bad can this be for your bank balance?Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Producer Jake Lim sits down with Dr. Paul Anthony, Senior Lecturer II, Faculty of Business & Law, Taylor’s University this week on Ringgit & Sense to get a low-down on tariffs - why governments implement them, how free trade agreements fit in the picture, how they affect consumers as well as businesses.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On Ringgit & Sense this week, we take a closer look at the aftermath of the Putra Heights explosion.Producer Jake Lim speaks with Dr Joshua Netto, Director of Blue Stone Management on the damage to properties and infrastructure, and Gor Sheau Shuenn, Head of Financial Planning at Alpine Advisory shares insights on insurance coverage and how victims can begin the claims process.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week producer Jake Lim will be joined by Jennifer Chua, licensed Financial Advisor at UOB Kay Hian in discussing what’s involved in planning for your parents’ aged care.Image Credits: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, producer Jake Lim sits down with Linnet Lee, Director at Resolute Planning to talk about planning for your own aged care - firstly because more and more people are choosing to be childless nowadays, subverting the Asian trope of “my children will take care of me”, and even for people who do have children, they might not be able to take care of you when you’re in your golden years.Image Credit: Shutterstock.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It is once again tax season - has been for a while - which is why producer Jake Lim will be sitting down with Poovarni Rajagopal, Founder and Tax Partner at Invatex Consulting to remind everyone the tax reliefs available as well as talk about some common questions about tax filing.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on Ringgit & Sense, producer Jake Lim continues the thread he started last week by discussing how much it costs to raise a primary school-aged child with Annie Hor, a qualified financial advisor at Harveston Capital. Do tune in to find out some of the costs of rasing a child that you might not have thought about.Image Credit: Shutterstock.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on Ringgit & Sense, producer Jake Lim is joined by Wei Zhi, a financial coach, social media influencer and mother of a 7 year old to talk about the expenses associated with childbirth, as well as the costs of raising a young child.Image Credit: Shutterstock.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on Ringgit & Sense, producer Jake Lim talks to Shing Yee Ling, licensed financial planner at VKA Wealth Planners about the retirement gap between men and women, in conjunction with International Women’s Day happening this Saturday. They’ll unpack some of the reasons behind why this disparity exists, and what the ladies out there can do to secure their financial future.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On Ringgit & Sense this week, producer Jake Lim will be joined by Jon Ng, founder & CEO of DearTime, a local insurance company to talk about whether you should leave your cushy, high-paying office job to start your own business.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, Ocean Pon, licensed financial planner talks about what the best ways are to grow your kids angpao money and Ng Pui Yee, founder of Little Tauke, a financial literacy program for kids, discusses how to get your child to engage with financial literacy topics.Image Credit: Shutterstock.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Fazrul Farouk, licensed financial planner at I-MAX Financial discusses the 2024/2025 Belanjawanku and Retirement Income Adequacy (RIA) that was announced by EPF in December last year.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kevin Neoh, Head of Financial Planning with VKA Wealth Planners, and Daniel Fernandez, Managing Editor at dsf.my have a chat with us about the various things you should consider when buying a car.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on Ringgit and Sense, producer Jake Lim prepares to greet the lunar year of the Snake, which is happening next Wednesday, with Master Kenny Hoo from Good Feng Shui Geomantic Research. Master Kenny will be sharing about what sectors might be doing well in 2025 from a Feng Shui perspective, as well as give us an idea of how each zodiac will fare in the coming months ahead.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on Ringgit and Sense, producer Jake Lim will be joined by Shazrul Ariff Suhaimi, Research Associate at Khazanah Research Institute to talk about the lack of financial resilience in Malaysians under the age of 30. They’ll be discussing what’s behind the low savings, high debt and low financial literacy that’s plaguing this demographic, as well as what systemic changes can be put in place to create more financially resilient Malaysians.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on Ringgit & Sense, producer Jake Lim will be joined by Linnet Lee, Licensed Director of Resolute Planning to talk about budgeting for Chinese New Year, since the festive season is right around the corner. They’ll be discussing what the market rate is for angpow nowadays, how much banquets might cost your family per head, whether you really need to buy new outfits every year, and more.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on Ringgit & Sense, producer Jake Lim speaks to Idham Idris, Director of Corporate Treasury Investment Services at Wealth Vantage Advisory about taking stock of your debt coming into the new year. They’ll be talking about good debt that you can consider taking on, bad ones you might want to avoid, how to properly assess the amount of debt you have, how to go about clearing them effectively, and more.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on Ringgit & Sense, producer Jake Lim sits down with stock broker and financial content creator, HY Tan, otherwise known as doitduit to discuss the financial aspects you need to consider when you’re planning your trips, whether local or overseas. They’ll be talking about some expenses which are often overlooked, some tips on getting cheaper accommodations and plane tickets, and more.Image Credit: Shutterstock.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Leticia Hsu, wedding planner at Elysium Weddings talks to us about the costs associated with weddings. We discuss how much the average Malaysian couple spends for weddings nowadays, what takes up the biggest chunks out of a wedding budget, how to decide who pays for what, some commonly overlooked expenses, and more.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ian Wong, licensed financial planner as well as CEO & Founder of Uno Advisers sits down with us to talk about evaluating your financial achievements, assessing your assets and what to look out for when investing for next year.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Legacy planning ensures that your wishes are honored after your lifetime. By understanding the essentials of wills and probate, you can create a clear plan that does away with any uncertainty of your intentions, minimizes legal complexities, and provides financial security for your loved ones. Joining us for this conversation is Felix Neoh, Director of Financial Planning, Finwealth Management and Prisilla Chong, Lawyer, Prisilla Chong Advocate & Solicitor.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Discover how insurance can be leveraged to build and sustain wealth across generations, serving as a reliable cornerstone in your legacy planning. Alvis Wee, Chief Distribution & Marketing Officer, and Nicholas Lee, Head of Product & Pricing, Sun Life Malaysia explains the importance of protecting your wealth, how you can do it, and more.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on Ringgit & Sense, producer Jake Lim is joined by Ang Weina, Tax Partner at Deloitte Malaysia in going through what expenses you should be making by the end of this year to qualify for individual income tax relief, which reliefs you’re eligible for, and how much the reliefs are.Image Credit: shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on Ringgit & Sense, our producer Jake Lim will be having a conversation with Ku Sim Ling, an HR expert with 20 years of experience in the industry about work appraisals, how best to ask your boss for a raise or a promotion, and things to keep in mind when you’re looking for a job.Image Credit: shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, we're having a conversation with Rachel Liew, Certified Financial Planner and Patience Chen, licensed counsellor about why some people have such extreme mindsets regarding their finances, and how you can start shifting your attitude and have a more healthy relationship with money.Image Credit: shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on Ringgit & Sense we sit down with Jeremy Goh, Service Director at MalaysiaFuneral.com to discuss something many have trouble talking about: the financial implications of losing a loved one, or even your own funeral. We will be talking about the costs involved, how you can broach the topic with your family, and more.Image Credit: shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With almost 800 funds to choose from in Malaysia and complaints of high fees, are unit trusts a good investment to consider? We ask Kaleon Leong Rahan, CEO of Federation of Investment Managers Malaysia (FIMM) those questions whilst finding out more about the industry, how regulated it is and how to pick the right fund.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Budget 2025 was announced last Friday with a slew of tax reliefs, so our producer Jake Lim speaks with Thanneermalai Somasundaram, Managing Director of Thannees Tax Consulting Services for a rundown on what goodies the Budget has for regular Malaysians like you and I.Brought to you by Mah Sing. Reinvent Spaces. Enhance Life.Image Credit: shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Life and health insurance policies have their own unique language and terms which can be baffling. Mark O’Dell, CEO of Life Insurance Association of Malaysia (LIAM) simplifies this for us, whilst explaining what co-payment health insurance means.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With a plethora of life insurance products available and its own jargon, many of us are still confused about its necessity, the pricing and even what's the best way to buy it. Mark O’Dell, CEO of the Life Insurance Association of Malaysia (LIAM) helps us break this down. This will be the first of a special two-part series.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jasmina Mohd Mokhtar, Deputy Director of the Financial Inclusion Department at Bank Negara Malaysia talks about the current state of financial literacy in the country, and what initiatives are being undertaken by the central bank to improve financial knowledge especially among the youth and in rural areas.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What do you do when you suddenly come into a lot of money? Annie Hor, Licensed Financial Advisor at Harveston Capital talks about how to handle financial windfalls, whether it be an inheritance from a family member, money from selling off a company, or even a huge lottery win.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's not unusual for one to be in debt - after all, the most common debt carried by Malaysians is a mortgage. However, it can be crushing if you have a very high debt-to-income ratio, so we speak to Nur Sofina Binti Mohamad Johari, Wealth Advisor at UOB Kay Hian Wealth Advisors Sdn. Bhd about how to manage debt, and the dos and don’ts when you’re trying to start afresh financially.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's not unusual for one to be in debt - after all, the most common debt carried by Malaysians is a mortgage. However, it can be crushing if you have a very high debt-to-income ratio, so we speak to Nur Sofina Binti Mohamad Johari, Wealth Advisor at UOB Kay Hian Wealth Advisors Sdn. Bhd about how to manage debt, and the dos and don’ts when you’re trying to start afresh financially.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's not unusual for one to be in debt - after all, the most common debt carried by Malaysians is a mortgage. However, it can be crushing if you have a very high debt-to-income ratio, so we speak to Nur Sofina Binti Mohamad Johari, Wealth Advisor at UOB Kay Hian Wealth Advisors Sdn. Bhd about how to manage debt, and the dos and don’ts when you’re trying to start afresh financially.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.