KUALA LUMPUR: Financial literacy is a vital aspect among youths in Malaysia, hence, exposing them to learn the steps in financial planning from young is one way to achieve it.
Agensi Kaunseling dan Pengurusan Kredit (AKPK) general manager Nor Fazleen Zakaria said when youths are financially literate, they are able to apply the knowledge in their daily lives.
“The younger generation are more easily influenced to be entrapped into the scam …so AKPK wants to give them early exposure so that whenever someone comes to them with offers to do this and that, they will already have some knowledge that they can apply,” she told Bernama after the closing of Kembara Bijak Wang 2019 here, today.
The financial literacy programme for youths, launched on March 19 is a joint effort between AKPK and HSBC Bank Malaysia Bhd, with Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia as co-partner.
A total of 4,315 students from 18 universities nationwide took part in the eight-month programme, which saw only 48 groups (five students per group) being shortlisted for the finale of the programme, Amazing Digital KL Rail Race, to search for clues to answer finance-related questions.
Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) (Sabah), represented by its financial students won the race, beating about 250 fellow students from 11 universities.
“Financial education is important from a young age where we learn how to manage our finances, for example where we invest at an early age, in future we will get the returns.
“Yes, such programmes give us an opportunity and we will inform other friends how AKPK helps us…give us knowledge to manage our finances well,” said one of the winning group members, 22-year-old Awang Ridzlan Azli Awang Yahya.
Awang and his teammates took home RM5,000 while second place was won by Universiti Malaysia Sabah (RM3,000) and third place belonged to Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Skudai (RM1,000).
The Kembara Bijak Wang programme has provided Malaysian youths with engaging modes of learning to acquire financial knowledge and skills, as well as embracing good financial values and enabling them to make wise financial decisions. – Bernama
