MITRA TO EMPOWER INDIAN COMMUNITY THROUGH INVESTMENT PROGRAMME

BUTTERWORTH, May 17 (Bernama) -- The Malaysian Indian Transformation Unit (MITRA), in collaboration with Bursa Malaysia, is organising the Malaysian Indian Investment Program (MIIP) 2024/2025, or Investment Training Programme, as an initiative to empower the Indian community, especially youth, in investment and the stock market.

MITRA Special Task Force Committee chairman P. Prabakaran said that in today's digital era, the organisation of such a programme was vital as it served as the sole platform to raise investment literacy among the Indian community, ultimately helping to improve the socio-economic level of the Indian community in equity holdings through stock investments.

He noted that statistics indicated only about three per cent of the Indian community was actively involved in investment, which was a small number, and efforts needed to be made to increase the percentage.

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“One of the main reasons for the low participation is the negative perception of the investment world, which is often associated with scams, as well as past unpleasant experiences with investment companies that failed to deliver results after training sessions.

“Therefore, MIIP presents itself as a legitimate and quality solution through direct collaboration with Bursa Malaysia, offering comprehensive guidance and training,” he told reporters after attending the northern zone leg of the programme here today, which was also attended by MITRA director-general G. Prabagaran.

Prabakaran said that through the training programme, youths would be able to equip themselves with investment skills, gain exposure to the mechanisms of the stock market, and identify suitable investment strategies based on their financial goals.

With guidance from investment experts, he said participants would also gain knowledge and build confidence when engaging in stock investment or pursuing careers in finance and investment.

He said MIIP was divided into three levels, with 500 participants at Level One (Beginner), 300 at Level Two (Intermediate), and 150 at Level Three (Advanced).

He added that the programme was held by zone, namely the Central Zone in Kuala Lumpur, the Northern Zone in Penang, and the Southern Zone in Johor Bahru, while participants at Level Three would also be offered job placements in the financial investment sector.

“This programme has already been completed for 450 participants in the Central Zone, and today the Northern Zone in Penang is running the Level Two session involving 60 participants, most of whom are youths aged 20 and above.

“The focus here is on the technical aspects of investment, including online stock trading, market analysis, and prudent investment strategies,” he said.

He added that the MITRA Stock Carnival was also planned to be held in Sungai Petani, Kedah, next month, serving as a ‘one-stop centre’ bringing together various government agencies, including TEKUN Nasional, while also providing opportunities for the Indian community to gain investment knowledge for free.

-- BERNAMA