Ringgit and Sense

About 38% of EPF members have reached what EPF calls "Basic Savings," up from 35% last year, but that still leaves 62% short. And "Basic Savings" only covers bare necessities. Felix Neoh joins us to unpack what's realistic for salaried employees, gig workers, and stretched households trying to close the savings gap, and offers ways to boost our retirement funds.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

AI infrastructure buildouts, a wave of mega IPOs, energy supply shocks, and shifting safe-haven dynamics have prompted investors to rethink their positioning for the second half of 2026. Desmond Kuang from HSBC joins us to discuss the private bank’s Q3 investment themes and portfolio construction strategies.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Singapore is Southeast Asia's largest stock market, but most Malaysian investors only go as far as DBS, UOB, and OCBC for dividends. Is there more to the SGX than yield plays?We discuss:• Beyond the banks and REITs, which sectors and themes on the Singapore stock market deserve a closer look.• Can Singapore small caps deliver the multi-bagger returns and what to look for when picking them.• How Singaporean REITs stack up against Malaysian REITs• What the new SGX-Nasdaq dual-listing arrangement, share buybacks, and MAS-backed market reforms actually mean for retail investors.Image Credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Buy Now Pay Later has become the default payment method for millions of Malaysian consumers, promising instant approval and zero friction at checkout. But that is changing, and the new Consumer Credit Act is rewriting the rules. Johnson Hong and Lo Khai Yi, partners at Halim Hong & Quek, discuss new legal requirements placed on BNPL providers, shoppers, and its impact on the broader consumer finance landscape.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Wahed's new fractional real estate product lets investors tap into Shariah-compliant property exposure with as little as RM500. We speak to Mohsin Siddiqui, CEO of Wahed, about how the product works, how it stacks up against i-REITs, and whether being Shariah-compliant comes at the cost of returns.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

RHB's top small caps for 2026 are financially stable, with bright growth prospects and resilient. Elaine Boey speaks with Alexander Chia, Head of RHB Regional Research, about how these companies are selected, what makes them stand out, and how they are navigating the headwinds in the second half of 2026.Go to RHB's website for the RHB's 20 Jewels 2026 Report'.Image Credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on Ringgit & Sense, producer Jake Lim speaks with Nur Mahfuudhzah binti Normin, licensed financial planner at Resolute Planning about Islamic financial planning - how it differs from conventional financial planning, some of the principles involved, how insurance and interest work under this framework and more.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on Ringgit & Sense, producer Jake Lim speaks to Stephen Yong, licensed financial planner and Executive Director at Wealth Vantage Advisory about a certain income bracket among Malaysian - specifically the T20 group - why the classification might be broken from the outset, why individuals and households in the lower end of T20 might not be as ‘rich’ as many of us think.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on Ringgit & Sense, producer Jake Lim speaks with Linnet Lee, licensed financial planner at Resolute Planning about unit trusts - what they are, what kind of investors might be interested in the profile of this investment instrument, how they differ from other instruments like ETFs, and more.Image Credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on Ringgit & Sense, producer Jake Lim speaks to Kevin Neoh, licensed financial planner and Head of Financial Planning at VKA Wealth Planners about budgeting in times of economic stress - even though we aren’t technically in a recession yet, the government has advised the people to spend cautiously. They’ll be discussing how to best do this!Image Credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on Ringgit & Sense, producer Jake Lim speaks to Yuvarajan Periyan, licensed financial planner and co-founder of Uno Advisers about young money in the wake of news of more younger people declaring bankruptcy in Malaysia. Jake will be asking Yuva about the allure of the ‘social media lifestyle’, why young investors might take excessive risk and more.Image Credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on Ringgit & Sense, producer Jake Lim will be speaking to Datin Nor Hanifah Hashim, CEO & Head of Malaysia, Franklin Templeton about an investment asset that might be unfamiliar to some of our listeners: sukuk. They’ll be talking about what sukuk is, how they differ from regular bonds, whether it’s a good idea to have them in your portfolio, and more.Image Credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on Ringgit & Sense, producer Jake Lim speaks to Yap Ming Hui, founder of Whitman Holdings - he’s also a licensed financial planner - about the profession. What makes a licensed financial planner different from the ‘wealth coaches’ and ‘investment consultants’ out there, how to tell whether they’re a good job, how much you can expect to pay, and more. Whitman was also recently listed on the LEAP MarketImage Credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on Ringgit & Sense, producer Jake Lim speaks to Michelle Chin, co-founder of Oyen, Malaysia’s first pet insurance company about the costs of owning a pet - especially some of the hidden costs most people might miss, like pet boarding whenever you go out of town, differences in prices vet for different breeds and even gender of pets, and of course, how much pet insurance will cost you every month.Image Credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On Ringgit & Sense this week, producer Jake Lim speaks to Chua How Kiat, Leader for Deloitte Private Southeast Asia about family businesses- a little bit on trends in the region but more importantly they’ll be discussing what the differences are between family enterprises that thrive, and those which merely survive.Image Credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On Ringgit & Sense this week, producer Jake Lim will be speaking to Idham Idris, Director of Corporate Treasury Investment Services at Wealth Vantage Advisory about the “post-Raya financial whiplash” - when all the unplanned spending during the festivities catches up with your wallet and bank account.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on Ringgit & Sense, producer Jake Lim is joined by Ku Sim Ling - she’s better known as AuntyHR on various social media platforms - to talk about career road bumps, biggest mistakes you can make, and take a look at some case studies.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on Ringgit & Sense, producer Jake Lim speaks to Hann Liew, a licensed fund manager and co-founder of Halogen Capital about whether cryptocurrencies still have a place in our portfolio amidst global volatility.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, Producer Jake Lim sits down with Harvindar Singh, Managing Partner of Harvey & Associates to talk about individual tax reliefs, common mistakes that people make when filing their taxes, as well as tips for the tax season.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On Ringgit & Sense this week, producer Jake Lim speaks to Farhana Roslan, Head of the Research Team at PNB Research Institute about wages in Malaysia - why growth has been so slow, whether it’s still worth pursuing tertiary education, and what the government and society can do to remedy this issue.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on Ringgit & Sense, producer Jake Lim zooms into ‘Pig Butchering’ scams - where scammers build up trust over a long period of time with their victims - in light of recent news, and he will be joined by Yuvarajan Periyan, licensed financial planner and co-founder of Uno Advisers to talk about a case he’s seen about this.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on Ringgit & Sense, producer Jake Lim speaks to  Dr. Mohaini Ahmad Basri, licensed financial planner with Wealth Vantage Advisory about his recent article commenting on the anticipated EPF dividend for 2025 - who do the high returns truly benefit, and what should younger Malaysians be thinking about in terms of passion vs income.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on Ringgit & Sense, we have a very special episode waiting for you - it’s the Feng Shui edition that comes on every Lunar New Year - producer Jake Lim will be sitting down with Dr Cheng, Feng Shui Master to talk about the sectors that might do well this year according to Feng Shui principles, and which Zodiacs might need some help in the months ahead.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on Ringgit & Sense, producer Jake Lim is joined by Ian Wong, Founder & CEO of Uno Advisers - he’s also a licensed financial planner - they’ll be talking about financial mistakes that you DON’T want to make in 2026. Spoiler - the chat will involve overspending during CNY, and paying too much for medical insurance.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on Ringgit & Sense, love is in the air - producer Jake Lim sits down with Linnet Lee, licensed financial planner at Resolute Planning to talk about how much you should spend on Valentine’s Day, the ‘money talk’ that couples should have, and there’s even two case studies where couples are having difficulties with in terms of finances.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on Ringgit & Sense, Jake Lim will be talking about the implementation of the Retirement Income Adequacy or RIA framework by EPF. He’ll be asking Rajen Devadason, licensed financial planner with Manulife Investment Management (Malaysia) Bhd whether the saving thresholds under the framework is actually achievable, what you can do on the income and spending side to try to reach this benchmark, and more.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on Ringgit & Sense, producer Jake Lim sits down with Kevin Neoh, licensed financial planner with VKA Wealth Planners to talk about new year resolutions concerning personal finance. Jake will be asking Kevin why some people seem to lose steam at some point during the year, how to stick to your money goals, and more through a series of case studies.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on Ringgit & Sense, producer Jake Lim speaks with Terence Ng, Associate Director of Equities, AIIMAN Asset Management which is a subsidiary of AHAM Capital about how to pick stocks, the mindset investors might be trapped in, how to overcome the fear of missing out, and more.Image Credit: 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 answer some of the questions about credit cards that were sent in by our listeners. These include “when am I ready for a credit card”, “can you ask your bank to forgive late payment fees”, and more.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on Ringgit & Sense, producer Jake Lim is joined by Kimberly Law, co-founder and licensed financial planner at Uno Advisers. And since it’s job hunting season for fresh grads, they’ll be talking about what to do, and maybe more importantly what NOT to do with your first paycheck.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chua Kim Soon, CEO of the General Insurance Association of Malaysia addresses something that’s very timely - insurance for homes against disasters. He discusses the types of protection available, differences for strata owners, vehicle insurance against floods and of course, the costs involved.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chee Pei Pei, Tax Partner and Private Leader at Deloitte Malaysia talks about findings from Deloitte’s recent report on family businesses, as well as how family businesses can have longevity, retain talent, and maintain wealth beyond 3 generations.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chee Pei Pei, Tax Partner and Private Leader at Deloitte Malaysia talks about findings from Deloitte’s recent report on family businesses, as well as how family businesses can have longevity, retain talent, and maintain wealth beyond 3 generations.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The latest figures from the Department of Statistics for headline inflation is seemingly quite low at 2.1% in September - and yet, many are still feeling the squeeze from the rising cost of living. Why is that the case and how can we better manage our finances to combat this? Producer Jake Lim will be finding out from Dr. Mohaini Ahmad Basri, licensed financial planner at Wealth Vantage Advisory.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Author and financial coach Rumi Yeo talks about his book ‘How Your Mind Thinks About Money’. The book breaks down the mindsets that we have about personal finance and how we can reshape our relationship with money.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on Ringgit & Sense, producer Jake Lim is joined by Yuvarajan Periyan, licensed financial planner at Uno Advisers Sdn. Bhd. to talk about the Consumer Credit Bill, which Deputy Finance Minister Lim Hui Ying says will be gazetted by the end of the year.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on Ringgit & Sense, producer Jake Lim sits down with See Toh Wai Yu, CEO of Central Force Malaysia, a company that specializes in market research. They’ll be going through some interesting findings from Central Force’s Malaysia Consumer Trend Report 2025, like how almost half the respondents would go online to buy a product after seeing it in a brick and mortar store.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When it comes to legacy planning, many people perceive it to be as simple as writing a will. And while that can be true in some cases, it really is about ensuring wealth is preserved, transferred smoothly, and aligned with the values families want to pass on. For this conversation, Lim Eng Ping, Head of Wealth Management Malaysia, and Norfazlina Mohd Ghouse, CEO, Maybank Trustees Berhad talks about the costs, importance of communication, the role of professionals in the process, and more.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on Ringgit & Sense, Jake Lim sits down with Thanneermalai Somasundaram, Managing Director of Thannees Tax Consulting Services to talk about the individual tax reliefs available under Budget 2026, as well as other goodies for the rakyat.Brought to you by Mah Sing. Reinvent Spaces. Enhance LifeImage Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Producer Jake Lim is joined by Siew Yuen Tuck, co-founder of Ringgitplus to discuss some findings from the Ringgitplus Financial Literacy Survey that was just released recently, most notably Gen Z saved up more compared to the other Gens this year.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on Ringgit & Sense, producer Jake Lim speaks with Rajen Devadason, a Securities Commission licensed financial planner with Manulife Investment Management (Malaysia) Bhd, CEO of consulting company RD Wealth Creation Sdn Bhd and a columnist who writes personal finance pieces for the New Sunday Times. They’ll be discussing the scarcity and abundance mindsets, how much emergency funds you need both as an employee and self employed person, why cash is so important in your investment portfolio, and more.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on Ringgit & Sense, producer Jake Lim will be joined by Julia Goh, Senior Economist at UOB to talk about Budget 2026. He’ll be asking her why it’s so important to pay attention to the Budget, as well as her thoughts on the RON95 subsidy rationalizationImage Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on Ringgit & Sense, Jake Lim sits down with Qin, a senior manager in the beauty industry and Annie Hor, Financial Advisor, Harveston Capital. They’ll be finding out how Qin ended up with over 30 thousand ringgit in credit card debt, what some effective repayment strategies are, and how he can avoid relapsing again.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on Ringgit & Sense, Jake Lim continues his conversation with Idham Idris, Director of Corporate Treasury Investment Services at Wealth Vantage Advisory on financial goals in your 40s and 50s. What kind of shift in mindset should you be having here as you inch ever closer to retirement? Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on Ringgit & Sense, producer Jake Lim talks to Idham Idris, Director of Corporate Treasury Investment Services at Wealth Vantage Advisory about financial goals in different stages of your life in the first episode of a two part special. This time they’re discussing what people in their 20s and 30s should be doing to secure the foundations of their financial health.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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.