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Carsome Review – My Experience Buying and Selling My Car with Carsome

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Filed Under: FI/RE, Financial Independence, Financial/Life Hacks, Investment, Other, Travel, food and the finer things in life 11

This is my Carsome Review and my full experience of buying and subsequently selling my car with Carsome. I love cars and I’ve never bought a brand-new vehicle in my life. The car I just sold off was a 21-year-old BMW e46. I got the car back in 2013 and have been using it as my daily drive.

Carsome Review - Buying and selling BMW E46

The reason I had to let go of the car was the extremely high cost of maintenance. I had been consistently spending thousands of ringgit a year for part changes and enough was enough. This is why you shouldn’t ever keep an old continental car as your daily drive.

The options available to me were to sell the BMW and get another newer car or sell the BMW and use Grab. I decided on getting another vehicle as I actually like driving and after doing some simple calculations, owning my own car made more sense.

Carsome Review – Selling my Car to Carsome

I had been getting ads on Instagram from both Carsome and myTukar (now Carro) regularly by this time. Went car-browsing on both sites and spent hours sifting through them.

Some stuff to take note of, myTukar doesn’t accept cars over 20 years old. Carsome does.

Also, both of them gave me much higher prices compared to the local dealers you can find on Mudah. I predict a swift and timely death to 2nd hand car dealers all over Malaysia soon. They just can’t compete anymore.

So, took the plunge, sold my car to Carsome and got the best possible price (it was still a really shit price) and went browsing for my next car at Carsome.

Carsome Review – Buying a Used Car from Carsome.

For years now, I already knew the brand and car model I wanted (it is a hatchback). And that’s about as much as I’d like to disclose about my vehicle for now.

All I had to do was look out for one that had low mileage and was in good condition. I had already done my research on the car with all the known issues and what to look out for. There were only two real choices for me. The hatchback or the very compact and fuel-efficient Perodua Axia. Also a low mileage and good condition one of course.

I was in no rush to sell the car so I think I spent about a month or two just sifting through and browsing cars on Carsome and myTukar. I had about 6 tabs open on my browser every day on cars. The car I wanted came on sale in January on Carsome. It was the model I wanted and it had done about 50k in mileage. The same models were at 80-100k mileage and priced the same on sites like Mudah.

Made the call, went through the process and paid a refundable deposit of RM1,000 for the car. I had the salesperson bring the car over to KL all the way from Johor for a viewing.

Steps to Buying a Secondhand Car

Now I’m sure there are plenty of resources on buying secondhand cars online you can go through. Heck, some of you here may even be veterans and are better at it than I am. But here is what I did.

1. Inspection

One of the reasons I chose Carsome was for its inspection and checking system. There is a detailed report on the problems found on each car listed on their website.

Despite this, the very first thing I did was bring the car to a friend’s workshop and garage for a full inspection. Did an Onboard diagnostic (OBD) to make sure the car wasn’t tampered with. Paid RM150 for the inspection.

We checked for rust at the bottom and made sure no rust was found on the car’s mainframe. We noticed significant rust on the car’s front right absorber and mounting.

The salesperson from Carsome was a really good one and a friend of a friend. He agreed to have the car sent back to their workshop and to change the parts if there were issues found.

2. Test Driving

After waiting for about a week for the car parts to be fitted, I brought along a very kind friend who was a mechanic for the first viewing and test drive. Let him take the wheel and right off the bat, we heard weird sounds coming from the front whenever the car went over a speed bump.

And guess what? It was back to the workshop again! In total, I think I went for 3 test drives because of the sound from the front. Carsome changed: Absorbers, Mounting, Dust Covers, Bearing and even did the alignment for the wheels. At the end of 4 test drives over the span of a month, there was still some sound coming from the front over speed bumps but it was significantly less, I was already feeling really embarrassed for the back and forth and decided to just go ahead with the purchase. I decided that I would refit the parts on my own time later.

I think only companies like Carsome and myTukar will do this for you. If you’re purchasing from a secondhand car dealer, forget it.

3. Loan Application and Payment

I got the salesperson to submit my hire purchase application to a few different banks and settled on CIMB as they offered me the lowest rate at 3.1% for a 7-year loan. The loan came with a few conditions.

  1. Open a savings account with CIMB;
  2. Take the first year’s motor insurance with them; and
  3. Snatch Medz for one year.

Snatch Medz is a sort of life insurance where if I were to die or suffer a total disability, the loan would be paid off. This one cost me RM430 for the first year.

Used my credit card for the deposit, but had a problem increasing my credit limit with Maybank so I had to delay the purchase for another few days. Managed to get it settled eventually so a tip here is to get ahold of your bank earlier if you’ve already decided on the car. Get your points from the deposit! It is worth it.

Also, you may be interested to read about how long of a loan period you should go for, and what is a good way to look at car loans through a personal finance lens here.

Additional Stuff I Asked For

If you’re going to get a vehicle from Carsome or Carro (formerly myTukar), don’t forget to ask for additional freebies!

You can check out Carsome hERE.

Change all faulty parts!

Change in parts that were broken. As mentioned earlier, I got a lot of parts replaced. If you’re getting your car from a dealer like Carsome, you should do your inspection and ask for a change in faulty parts. Ask for everything!

Car plate number interchange

I got a discount for the exchange of my car plate number. I bought my own number through JPJ’s auction and had Carsome replace it at a discount. I think it was around RM200 cheaper to do it through their agent.

Promotions

Always remember to check what promos the dealer is having. It so happened that Carsome was having a TnG wallet promo and I asked for that.

They were also giving an RM1K discount if you sold your car to them and subsequently bought from them afterwards. I qualified for that and got RM1K off as well.

Petrol vouchers

And after getting everything sorted, I got my guy at Carsome to get me petrol vouchers! I got about RM300 worth of it.

End.

So I’ll most likely be using this car for at least another 10 years. Will be keeping it in good condition. I have still yet to buy a new car for myself. This article has taken a pretty sharp turn away from investing, but hey, buying a car costs money and making a good decision here is vital to investing too.

If you’re looking to sell or buy a car, head over to Carsome’s website. I’ve had a good experience with them. I can even get my salesperson to give you a call so drop me an email or a DM on Instagram.

Aaaaand, if you’ve been following me on Instagram, you would’ve noticed me posting pics of another vehicle occasionally. I invested in an old classic car and I’ll be posting much more about it soon!

Kenanga Digital Investing (KDI) – An Review of KDI Save and KDI Invest

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Filed Under: Investment, Robo-Advisor 8

Fully Automated Robo Advisor

Another new addition to the Robo-advisor stratosphere! This time from Kenanga and it is called Kenanga Digital Investing (KDI). The platform is fully A.I.-driven with little to no human involvement. Most of the Robo-advisors we have in Malaysia right now are a mix of A.I. plus fund manager’s decisions. The only other similar one is from MyTheo.

Is Kenanga Digital Investing (KDI) Safe?

First off, they’re licensed by the Securities Commission (SC). In terms of governance and licensing, that is as safe as it can get.

As for its execution, the algorithm used by Kenanga Digital Investing is fully A.I.-driven with machine learning capabilities. In the online briefing I attended, Kenanga mentioned that they’ve backtested all the portfolios from 2004. The results shown and presented to us were positive.

Kenanga Digital Investing – KDI Save and KDI Invest

KDI Save – Cash Management Fund

KDI offers two main products to clients and investors. The first is their Cash Management Fund (CMF) – KDI Save. They’re offering fixed returns at 3.0% p.a. with zero fees and calculated on a daily basis. This is one of the highest I’ve seen. And, you don’t have to start off with a huge amount, the minimum is RM100. However, it is capped at RM200,000, anything above that, it’ll be a 2.25% return p.a. Still decent.

KDI Invest – A.I. Driven Investing

KDI Invest is further broken down into five different funds based on your risk profile.

  1. Very Conservative
  2. Conservative
  3. Balanced
  4. Growth
  5. Aggressive Growth

From the backtesting results (from 2004 to 2021) I sighted during KDI’s briefing, the annualized return for the five funds ranges from 6% to 14%. The maximum drawdown was in the range of 10% to 16% for all five funds. Which is pretty damn good.

Kenanga Digital Investing – How to Register?

The steps from registration to execution are simple and straightforward. Before that, there is a special promotion for Dividend Magic readers.

Promo and Referral Code

Click Here to Sign Up
Referral code: 100108

Using the above link, you’ll receive RM20 for free upon successful activation of your account with a minimum transacted amount of RM100 into KDI Save or RM250 into KDI Invest. This RM20 will be paid out within 30 days.

Do also note that this promotion is only applicable to the first 500 successful referrals and valid up to 31st May 2022.

The next step to registering is to key in your personal details and to take a clear picture of the front and back of your IC.

You then answer a few simple questions regarding your investment goals and horizon. You’ll be recommended with one of the five portfolios based on your answers. However, you’re still free to pick one on your own. As I’ve still got a long time-horizon ie. 20+ years, I went with the KDI Invest – Aggressive Growth portfolio.

Benefits Kenanga Digital Investing (KDI) – What sets it apart?

Their cash management fund – KDI Save is currently one of the best I’ve found. No fees, a 3% return, and one-day withdrawals. It is perfect for my emergency funds now instead of placing them in fixed deposits or a savings account. I plan to move my funds here. Keep in mind that funds over RM200K earn a lower rate of 2.25%. Which is still higher than FDs!

As for KDI Invest, I’m happy with the returns shown from their backtesting. Would love to see them go further back than 2004 though. I’ll be trying this out for a year and then compare it to my returns from my investments in StashAway.

The fully A.I.-driven approach sounds good to me, and the maximum drawdowns, even for their most aggressive portfolio was only 16%.

Lastly, FEES! I know how everyone, myself included is always concerned about fees. KDI Invest employs a tiered system.

The fees are in line with other Robo-advisors, even cheaper at some tiers. They’re also not charging anything for investments RM3,000 and below.

Also to note, the minimum investment amount is RM250.

How will I use Kenanga Digital Investing (KDI)

I’m definitely going for their cash management fund – KDI Save. And I’ll be testing the waters first with RM3,000 in KDI Invest for a few months. If all is good, I’ll be doing DCA via Kenanga Digital Invest for the long term.

Dividend Income Update 2022

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Filed Under: Dividends 0

A list of my past dividend income and updates can be found below:

2022 Final Thoughts

This will be the final update for 2022, kinda late I know. I’ve previously updated the Freedom Fund to capture all my dividends, yield and market value of the portfolio. If you haven’t seen it, you can find it hERE.

In 2022 we had a pretty good run, the Freedom Fund wasn’t too badly hit and is almost back to its old self. REITs are back up and my darling Scientex has been performing. Banks which I’ve added to the portfolio as well have been holding the Freedom Fund afloat. Added FPI (thanks to research and recommendation from my good friends) to the portfolio and it has had a pretty good run both in capital gains and dividends.

Major disappointments were – TENAGA (which I’ve sold half of my holdings) and CYPARK (which I’m down 40%).

Still got RM100K+ in the war chest and I’ll be looking to either deploy it in local stocks or to my US portfolios – Vanguard’s S&P 500 ETF (VOO) via Rakuten Trade or my eToro portfolio.

And last but not least, happy CNY everyone! Hope the year of the rabbit is good to all of us!

October – December

Freedom Fund as of December 2022
Dividend Income (Oct-Dec) –  RM3,465.79
Dividend Income (2022) –  RM16,011.75
Dividend Yield – 4.03%

September

Freedom Fund as of September 2022
Dividend Income (Sept) –  RM1,910.10
Dividend Income (2022) –  RM12,545.96
Dividend Yield – 2.94%

Four batches of dividends were received for September.

SunREIT came in strong and hit about 4.25% in dividend yield for 2022. Sunway Construction increased its dividends for the year as well compared to 2021.
QL Resources and Public Bank maintained their dividends.

As always, Facebook, Instagram, and now ! Follow, keep up to date. I use Rakuten Trade as my broker.

Acquisition and Disposals

Nil.

Sunway REIT

September 2022 Dividends – RM1,201.05
September 2021 Dividends – RM462.98
Total 2022 Dividends –  RM1,977.68
Dividend Yield – 4.25%

Sunway Construction

September 2022 Dividends – RM10.80
September 2021 Dividends – RM10.40
Total 2022 Dividends –  RM25.20
Dividend Yield – 4.29%

QL Resources

September 2022 Dividends – RM138.25
September 2021 Dividends – RM138.25
Total 2022 Dividends –  RM138.25
Dividend Yield – 0.56%

Public Bank

September 2022 Dividends – RM560
September 2021 Dividends – RM525
Total 2022 Dividends –  RM1,099
Dividend Yield – 4.25%

August

Freedom Fund as of August 2022
Dividend Income (Aug) –  RM1,055.55
Dividend Income (2022) –  RM10,635.86
Dividend Yield – 2.49%

Two dividends were received for August.

IGBREIT has almost doubled their dividends compared to the same month last year, we’re getting back on track it seems. Axis REIT’s dividends has also increased compared to August 2021.

As always, Facebook, Instagram, and now ! Follow, keep up to date. I use Rakuten Trade as my broker.

Acquisition and Disposals

Nil.

IGB REIT

August 2022 Dividends – RM814.39
August 2021 Dividends – RM449.08
Total 2022 Dividends –  RM2,369.36
Dividend Yield – 4.57%

Axis REIT

August 2022 Dividends – RM241.16
August 2021 Dividends – RM226.31
Total 2022 Dividends –  RM704.43
Dividend Yield – 4.06%

July

Freedom Fund as of July 2022
Dividend Income (July) –  RM1,516.25
Dividend Income (2022) –  RM9,580.31
Dividend Yield – 2.40%

Two dividends were received for July. Apologies as I’m a bit late this month. I haven’t even got time to get to updating the Freedom Fund.

Scientex has upped its game once again. 5.18% dividend yield for 2022 compared to 4.25% last year.
Thong Guan on the other hand is slowly catching up as well. Increase in dividends compared to 2021.

As always, Facebook, Instagram, and now ! Follow, keep up to date. I use Rakuten Trade as my broker.

Acquisition and Disposals

Bought more SCIENTEX when it dipped. Sold half of my TENAGA holdings as well. I’m starting to dislike how the company is run. GLCs… Hopefully it’ll change in the future.

Scientex Berhad

July 2022 Dividends – RM1,360
July 2021 Dividends – RM1,200
Total 2022 Dividends –  RM2,860
Dividend Yield – 5.18%

Thong Guan Berhad

July 2022 Dividends – RM156.25
July 2021 Dividends – RM125
Total 2022 Dividends –  RM593.75
Dividend Yield – 1.67%

June

Freedom Fund as of June 2022
Dividend Income (June) –  RM229.18
Dividend Income (2022) –  RM8,064.06
Dividend Yield – 2.02%

Just one dividend in June from Axis REIT. Hope everyone’s portfolio is doing alright. Strangely Malaysian stocks haven’t been hit as hard as the US. For now.

As always, Facebook, Instagram, and now ! Follow, keep up to date. I use Rakuten Trade as my broker.

Acquisition and Disposals

Nil.

Axis REIT

June 2022 Dividends – RM229.18
June 2021 Dividends – RM210.55
Total 2022 Dividends –  RM463.27
Dividend Yield – 2.67%

May

Freedom Fund as of May 2022
Dividend Income (May) –  RM1,037.94
Dividend Income (2022) –  RM7,834.88
Dividend Yield – 1.96%

It looks like profits are back up for both Nestle and IGB REIT, both of whose dividends came in for May.

The dividend yield for 2022 is close to 2% already and hopefully, we can get back to a 4+% yield within the next few years.

As always, Facebook, Instagram, and now ! Follow, keep up to date. I use Rakuten Trade as my broker.

Acquisition and Disposals

Nil.

Nestle (M) Bhd

May 2022 Dividends – RM204
May 2021 Dividends – RM184
Total 2022 Dividends –  RM204
Dividend Yield – 1.53%

IGB REIT

May 2022 Dividends – RM833.94
May 2021 Dividends – RM442.07
Total 2022 Dividends –  RM1,544.97
Dividend Yield – 3.00%

April

Freedom Fund as of April 2022
Dividend Income (Apr) –  RM2,362.94
Dividend Income (2022) –  RM6,796.94
Dividend Yield – 1.70%

The markets are in a downturn right now. I’ve been slowly adding my money to Vanguard’s S&P 500 ETF right now through Rakuten Trade. Individual stocks in the US and also locally are currently on hold because I want to try and catch the bottom. DCA will happen through my investments in the ETF.

Stay strong everyone and remember to stay invested, this might be a long dip but it is still an opportunity.

As always, Facebook, Instagram, and now ! Follow, keep up to date. I use Rakuten Trade as my broker.

Acquisition and Disposals

Nil.

Thong Guan Industries Bhd

April 2022 Dividends – RM437.50
April 2021 Dividends – RM437.50
Total 2022 Dividends –  RM437.50
Dividend Yield – 1.23%

TNB Bhd

April 2022 Dividends – RM720
April 2021 Dividends – RM2,320
Total 2022 Dividends –  RM720
Dividend Yield – 1.53%

Malayan Banking Bhd

April 2022 Dividends – RM1,151.88
April 2021 Dividends – RM1,040.65
Total 2022 Dividends –  RM1,151.88
Dividend Yield – 3.96%

Sunway Bhd

April 2022 Dividends – RM195.41
April 2021 Dividends – RM129.80
Total 2022 Dividends –  RM195.41
Dividend Yield – 1.68%

Sunway Construction Bhd

April 2022 Dividends – RM14.40
April 2021 Dividends – RM10.40
Total 2022 Dividends –  RM14.40
Dividend Yield – 2.45%

March

Freedom Fund as of March 2022
Dividend Income (Mar) –  RM766
Dividend Income (2022) –  RM4,434
Dividend Yield – 1.08%

As always, Facebook, Instagram, and now ! Follow, keep up to date. I use Rakuten Trade as my broker.

Acquisition and Disposals

Remember the IGB preference shares I opted for back in 2018? They’ve been redeemed early by IGB at close to their original price, been receiving 4.3% annually for 3 years and I’m a little sad to see it go. =(

I’ll be updating the aforementioned linked article soon to show you guys the calculations.

IGB Berhad -PB

March 2022 Dividends – RM227
March 2021 Dividends – RM227
Total 2022 Dividends –  RM227
Dividend Yield – 2.15%

Public Bank Berhad

March 2022 Dividends – RM539
March 2021 Dividends – RM910
Total 2022 Dividends –  RM539
Dividend Yield – 2.22%

February

Freedom Fund as of February 2022
Dividend Income (Feb) –  RM1,536.56
Dividend Income (2022) –  RM3,668.00
Dividend Yield – 0.89%

As always, Facebook, Instagram, and now ! Follow, keep up to date. I use Rakuten Trade as my broker.

Acquisition and Disposals

Nil.

IGB REIT

February 2022 Dividends – RM721.03
February 2021 Dividends – RM691.51
Total 2022 Dividends –  RM721.03
Dividend Yield – 1.39%

Sunway REIT

February 2022 Dividends – RM776.63
February 2021 Dividends – RM223.69
Total 2022 Dividends –  RM776.63
Dividend Yield – 1.67%

Axis REIT

February 2022 Dividends – RM38.90
February 2021 Dividends – RM-
Total 2022 Dividends –  RM234.09
Dividend Yield – 1.35%

January

Freedom Fund as of January 2022
Dividend Income (Jan) –  RM2,131.44
Dividend Income (2022) –  RM2,131.44
Dividend Yield – 0.52%

As always, Facebook, Instagram, and now ! Follow, keep up to date. I use Rakuten Trade as my broker.

Acquisition and Disposals

Nil.

Scientex (M) Bhd

January 2022 Dividends – RM1,500
January 2021 Dividends – RM1,144
Total 2022 Dividends –  RM1,500
Dividend Yield – 2.72%

Axis REIT

January 2022 Dividends – RM195.19
January 2021 Dividends – RM221.81
Total 2022 Dividends –  RM195.19
Dividend Yield – 1.12%

Thong Guan Industries Bhd

January 2022 Dividends – RM156.25
January 2021 Dividends – RM125
Total 2022 Dividends –  RM156.25
Dividend Yield – 0.44%

CBIP Bhd

January 2022 Dividends – RM280
January 2021 Dividends – RM280
Total 2022 Dividends –  RM280
Dividend Yield – 1.26%

MIDF Invest Review

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Filed Under: Dividends 10

As of 2025, I am now using only MooMoo Malaysia and Rakuten Trade for my stock trading needs.

This review of MIDF Invest will cover Malaysia’s first brokerage that gives us access to international stocks at a cheap and competitive rate.

I’ve long been advocating against using local brokerages for international stocks. But with MIDF Invest, I can finally change my stance. No longer will we be charged once locally, and then again internationally, and vice versa when we sell said stock.

I digress, back to our new favorite local broker – MIDF Invest.

MIDF Invest – Registration & Account Opening

To get started, you’ll first have to download the app here:
https://link-to.app/LeighLee

The registration process can be completed in 10 minutes to 24h in most cases according to MIDF.

Mine took less than 24 hours as I did it at night.

You have to:

  1. Submit front and back pictures of your IC;
  2. Record a 20 seconds video;
  3. Receive and submit SMS verification;
  4. Receive and submit email verification;
  5. Create your PW; and
  6. Answer questions.

MIDF Invest – Brokerage Fees & Rates

MIDF’s rates are as above, which are pretty self-explanatory. You get 16 free trades if the trade value is <$1,000 per trade for the first 30 days. Thereafter, you move on to the Investor or Trader category depending on how often you trade.

The other fees you’ll need to pay attention to are the Stamp Duty and SEC Clearing Fees.

Stamp Duty is RM1 for every RM1,000 and capped at RM200.
Clearing Fee is 0.00051% of the total sale value, rounded up to the nearest cent.

The rates are pretty competitive when compared to our local brokers. It might be beneficial to make full use of your Explorer status during the first month.

From the calculator from MIDF above, a $1,932 trade will incur a $12.64 total fee. That’s about 0.65% in total fees per trade.

As for dividends, there are no extra charges there. Thank god. There will only be the standard withholding tax based on the country you bought the shares from.

Forex Rate

As I have yet to use MIDF’s platform at the time of this article, I cannot confirm the forex rates. However, the MIDF team has assured me that it is competitive and pretty standard. There are no forex fees charged by MIDF, just a straight-through conversion based on the day’s forex rates.

Interest on Cash Balances

Investors will also be given a small return in the form of interest for unutilized cash held in MYR in your MIDF Invest account. None for balances held in other currencies.

Another feature I confirmed with MIDF was that once your shares are sold, it will not be automatically converted back to MYR. For example, after selling a US stock, the cash will be held in USD. This is a good thing as we won’t be subject to unnecessary forex conversion.

Safety & Legitimacy

As far as I’m concerned, going through a local brokerage is as safe as it gets for us Malaysians. They’re of course regulated by the Securities Commission. MIDF is also wholly owned by our very own Permodalan Nasional Berhad (PNB).

If you didn’t already know, Permodalan Nasional Berhad (PNB) is one of the largest fund management companies in Malaysia with assets under management (AUM) of RM322.6 billion (as of 31 December 2020).

And the ASNB mutual funds we love so much are handled by PNB.

MIDF Invest – Comparisons

Right now, as a local broker offering access to international stocks, MIDF is in the lead in terms of fees (which matters a lot). Other local brokers ie Maybank, CIMB, Public Bank, HL Bank etc do offer us Malaysians access, however, the fees are way too high for retail investors like us. I cite a previous example where I received a net dividend of ZERO dollars after all the fee deductions for my investment in Vanguard ETF through Hong Leong.

So, vs local brokers, MIDF is top. If we look at online international brokers like eToro, Tiger Brokers TD, and Interactive Brokers, MIDF losses out in terms of fees.

The trade-off? You get a regulated broker and peace of mind as a Malaysian with a local broker. This is especially important if you’re planning a huge investment in international stocks.

Another advantage of using a local brokerage is the ease of transfer of funds. You can easily inject more capital within minutes.

Moving Forward

I have opened an account with MIDF but I have yet to deposit any money. I do plan to hold long-term ETFs and dividend stocks through MIDF.

With MIDF being the first (AFAIK) relatively cheap brokerage, we have with access to international stocks, it will be interesting to see if our other brokers step up their game in offering better rates.

End.

I’ll be giving MIDF a trial run soon. My plan is to purchase and hold ETFs through the platform for now. Vanguard’s S&P 500 ETF will be my first buy. Might even be building up a big portfolio of ETFs and some long-term dividend stocks.

I’ll also be updating and inserting MIDF Invest into my previous comparison post soon. So keep an eye out for that.

As of 2025, I am now using only MooMoo Malaysia and Rakuten Trade for my stock trading needs.

How to Apply for an IPO in Malaysia

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Filed Under: Investment 2

What is an Initial Public Offering (IPO)

An Initial Public Offering, more commonly known as an IPO in Malaysia is when a private company is listed on the stock exchange and sells its shares to the public for the first time. They are usually met with much fanfare and anticipation.

4 Ways to Apply for an IPO in Malaysia

To put it simply, there are 4 ways for Malaysians to apply for an IPO:

  1. Manually using application forms.
  2. ATMs.
  3. eIPO – via banks.
  4. Online IPO subscription – via your respective brokerage.

1. IPO Application Manually via Application Forms

I have never done number 1 and I don’t think anyone is doing it this way anymore. Maybe the older generation of stock investors used to do this.

2. IPO Application via ATM

Electronic Share Application (ESA) is a facility that allows for the application of an IPO in Malaysia through an Automated Teller Machine (ATM) of the participating financial institutions. This facility is provided by both Tricor Investor & Issuing House Services Sdn Bhd (Tricor) and Malaysian Issuing House Sdn Bhd (MIH). In a nutshell, ESA is a mode of applying for IPOs in a paperless manner.

3. eIPO Application via Maybank2U

Most local banks offer this service and I myself used to use Maybank. I’ll be giving you a step-by-step guide below using Maybank because it can get a little complicated.

How to Apply for an IPO in Malaysia Maybank

4. Online IPO Application via Your Brokerage (The Easiest Way)

This is by far the easiest and most convenient way to apply for an IPO in Malaysia. I use MooMoo for most of my stock investing and have used it for IPO applications as well.

How to Apply for an Initial Public Offering IPO in Malaysia - MooMoo Malaysia

Log in to your Moomoo app and review current IPO subscription announcements. Note key details such as subscription dates, price, and lot size.

Go to Markets > MY > IPO, and you’ll see a list of companies that are available for IPO subscription.

Sign up link: Moomoo Malaysia

How Does an IPO in Malaysia Work

  • Preparation:
    Before applying, read the prospectus carefully. This document explains the company’s background, financials, risks, and the terms of the offering.
  • Sufficient balance:
    It goes without saying but you’ll first want to make sure that you have a sufficient amount of money in your account before applying. Take note that most platforms require you to maintain a minimum balance.
  • Submitting Your Application:
    During the subscription period, you place your order for shares through your broker’s platform. Make sure you have enough funds in your account, as the required amount may be temporarily locked.
  • Oversubscription:
    When more orders come in than available shares, the IPO is deemed oversubscribed.
  • Balloting:
    In an oversubscribed IPO, all valid applications are entered into a random lottery. The balloting system determines which investors receive an allocation. This ensures that each applicant has an equal chance.
  • Allocation:
    The lottery result assigns a certain number of shares to each successful investor. If your application exceeds the allocated amount, you only pay for the shares granted.
  • Finalizing Your Investment:
    If you receive an allocation, the required payment is processed, and once the shares are listed on the stock exchange, you can begin trading.
  • Refunds:
    Any funds from unallocated orders are refunded automatically.
  • Fees:
    I was charged RM1 by the bank as a processing fee. Using MooMoo, I wasn’t charged a single cent.

    End.

    I am keeping this article short and simple for those of you who want to apply for IPOs in Malaysia. Hope this helped and thank you for reading!

    If you’re a total newbie when it comes to investing, here’s a Guide to Stock Investment.

    As always, my Facebook, Instagram. Follow, keep up to date.

    Tudor Black Bay GMT – My Investment in a Luxury Watch

    By
    Filed Under: Travel, food and the finer things in life, Investment, Other Investments 4

    Brand: Tudor
    Model: Black Bay GMT
    Reference Number: 79830RB
    Material: Stainless steel
    Crystal: Scratch-resistant sapphire
    Movement: Cal. MT5652
    Case Diameter: 41mm

    This will be more of an unconventional and personal article detailing my recent purchase and investment in a luxury watch.

    Why a Luxury Watch?

    I’ve always loved watches and had throughout the years taken to wearing my dad’s watches. As most of you know, I’m not a big spender but I think watches are my kryptonite. But, I do have the following justifications.

    A Goal

    Getting myself a quality watch has always been a goal of mine. I promised myself a long time ago that when I have the financial means to own one, I would get one.

    Some go for cars, some yatches, mine was a watch.

    Lasts a Lifetime

    I wanted something that was of high quality and can last me my entire life.

    At the same time, it appreciates in value over time. In fact, I’ve come to see quality timepieces as perhaps the best heirloom to pass on to the next generation.

    Investment

    I love the feel of a good solid watch on my wrist and in the case of a luxury watch, they retain their value over time. The latter appeals very much to the investor in me.

    Instead of having my cash in stocks or placed in FDs, I wanted one on my wrist. In fact, my Tudor GMT, after wearing it for about 6 months, has appreciated by about 20% in value.

    How I Purchased a Tudor

    With the above reasons, it was about time I got myself one.

    Tudor Black Bay GMT

    To be totally honest, I looked at a Rolex initially but it was just too expensive for me. I couldn’t justify having RM50,000 on my wrist that I know that I wouldn’t wear often. So until my net worth goes up by about 5X, a Rolex would not suit me.

    A Tudor isn’t a Rolex but as some of you may know, Tudor is the sister company of Rolex. You get the quality of Rolex at a more than 50% discount.

    They’re a brand that I can get behind and they do increase in value over time. Also, with their lower price tag compared to a Rolex, I can comfortably wear a Tudor every day.

    With Tudor in mind, I spent days diving through watch forums and reading articles on the company and I was torn between the Black Bay GMT and BB58. I finally settled on the GMT because I love the Pepsi bezel and the GMT feature is useful for me when I travel.

    Tudor was actually introduced to me by a new friend I met through one of my readers. Sean, from ssong watches.
    Ssong is a great place to look for and to learn about luxury watches. Sean answered ALL of my many many queries as I was doing my research on watches. He’s a veteran in the industry and has years of experience with luxury watches. I was fortunate to have been acquainted with him before making my first purchase.

    Ssong did not have Tudors at the time I was looking to buy so I told Sean to reserve one for me if and when a unit becomes available. I then went ahead and booked one from Mid Valley’s Tudor boutique store as well, as per the advice from Sean himself.

    As a side note, I actually had a very bad experience when I went to The Hour Glass at the Gardens. Didn’t get good service there. On the other hand, I had a wonderful experience at Tudor’s boutique store in Mid Valley though.

    Purchased!

    Finally, towards the end of 2020, I was finally able to get myself my first ”somewhat” luxury watch – a Tudor Black Bay GMT.

    Lady luck was actually on my side and Sean gave me a call I think a few weeks after I met him to reserve a Tudor GMT. I didn’t purchase a brand new one but instead got one that was in mint condition and barely worn a few times at a slight discount.

    Till today, I still feel a sense of joy putting on the watch every day. =)
    It may be tough to explain my love and appreciation for a good watch to someone that doesn’t like one, so I won’t.

    I’ve heard from so many around me saying they’d just wear an apple watch or a Casio as it was just to tell time. I’ve got nothing against Casio btw. An Apple Watch can even measure your heartbeat and health. They may be right in their own way, but god damn I still love my watch.

    I’ve been wearing my Tudor GMT for half a year now, almost every single day. This is an investment for me but at the same time, it is an investment I can fall in love with. The price has already gone up in the 6 months that I’ve owned the watch.

    End.

    As mentioned earlier, I know this article is a little out of the norm from the usual stocks and dividends. But hey, I think it is a viable investment and I really do consider it one.

    Hopefully, you’ll continue to see updates on watches from me periodically. And I promise to not spend above my means. If you’ve got views or comments or even advice on watches, please do leave your thoughts in the comment section of this article. I know many of you are enthusiasts and veterans.