The Securities Commission Malaysia (SC) is hosting its annual investor education fair, Bersama InvestSmart® @Johor 2024, this weekend at the Mid Valley Exhibition Centre, Mid Valley SouthKey mall in Johor Bahru. The three-day event aims to empower investors with essential knowledge, promoting financial literacy and informed investment decisions while safeguarding against scams and illegal schemes.
YB Lee Ting Han, Johor State Executive Council Member and Chairman of Investment, Trade, Consumer Affairs and Human Resources Committee, inaugurated the event. Attendees included senior state government officials and leaders from the capital market and financial industries.
Themed ‘Bijak Labur Hidup Makmur’, the event features 38 exhibitors, including financial and capital market firms, industry associations, and agencies such as the Employees Provident Fund and the Inland Revenue Board. Over 11,000 visitors are expected, who will benefit from public talks and panel discussions by financial and capital market experts.
In addition, the #FinPlan4u® initiative offers more than 230 free one-on-one financial planning sessions, providing personalized guidance on financial goals and retirement planning from licensed financial planners.
SC Chairman Dato’ Seri Dr. Awang Adek Hussin highlighted Johor as an ideal location for this year’s event, following successful editions in Penang, Sarawak, and Sabah. He noted Johor’s significant achievements, including RM113.7 billion in investments and 35,000 new jobs over two years, as announced by the Menteri Besar of Johor, YAB Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi.
“This event will contribute to the state’s and its residents’ prosperity, emphasizing the importance of wise investment at the individual level,” said Dato’ Seri Dr. Awang Adek. He also warned against scams that misuse the “syariah-compliant” label or involve influencers to appear legitimate, urging investors to verify such claims.
The SC’s Investors’ Survey revealed that 30% of respondents are prone to scams, particularly vulnerable groups relying on unverified information from family and friends. Recognizing this issue, the SC launched the Investment Checker on its website, a tool for verifying the legitimacy of investment entities. Since its introduction, the Investment Checker has become one of the SC’s most visited pages, with over 25,000 visits.
Following Bersama InvestSmart® @Johor, the SC will host the NaviGate Capital Market Green Financing Series on 20 May 2024 in Iskandar Puteri, supported by Iskandar Investment Berhad. This program will explore alternative capital market financing, including equity crowdfunding (ECF) and peer-to-peer (P2P) financing, featuring MSMEs sharing their fundraising experiences.
For more information on InvestSmart®, including details about Bersama InvestSmart® @Johor 2024, please visit [InvestSmart’s website](https://investsmartsc.my/) or follow InvestSmart® on social media.
