PELABURAN MARA Bhd, formerly known as Amanah Saham MARA Bhd, was established on June 24, 1967. It is MARA's wholly-owned finance and investment firm that directly participates in investment, asset management, financial services, corporate advice and investment data services.

The firm manages 16 syariah unit trust funds with investments in equity and some sukuk assets. This accomplishment is drawn by its five-decade experience in investment management with PMB Investment Berhad, an Islamic Fund Management Institution (IFMC) established in 1993.

Facilities and Returns to Investors

From the mid-1980s to the 1990s, unit trust funds were introduced to empower Bumiputeras.

The firm began sharing expertise in investing by launching unit trust funds for the public and dispersed commendable returns from year to year. In fact, this good performance has enabled PMB Investment to receive various performance awards from several parties.

To attract more people to start investing, especially the young and those with low incomes, the initial investment limit was offered with a minimal value of RM100 and a minimum additional investment of RM50. PMB Investment offers free takaful coverage to eligible investors.

A career as an entrepreneur

In addition to investment opportunities, PMB Investment also offers career opportunities as a unit trust consultant. Selected trainees will be guided to become shariah financial entrepreneurs through training and knowledge enhancement of products and industries as well as related skills to provide investment advice to customers to make the right investment decisions appropriate to their risk levels.

This career is offered in part or full time and has attracted professionals who have managed to earn a lucrative side income, by earning an average monthly income between RM1,000 and RM100,000, depending on their commitment.

This career opportunity is extended to higher learning graduates to groom them into becoming entrepreneurs. A total of 30 prospective graduates from Universiti Malaysia Sabah have been selected as the pioneer group to be formed as entrepreneurs in this joint-Harventure project. This opportunity will be expanded to other institutions of higher learning to increase graduate participation.

#ARIFLABUR improves quality of life

PMB Investment organises social service activities through the #ArifLabur programme to improve the quality of life of the community by wealth creation, early financial planning, providing knowledge and expertise in investment and encouraging more communities to build equity fund portfolios offered by PMB Investment.

This programme targets the involvement of Bumiputeras in rural and suburban areas who lack the knowledge and resources in terms of financial management knowledge to achieve financial targets through investment in unit trusts.

Through this programme, PMB Investment has won domestic and international awards, including the Corporate Social Responsibility Award 2020 from CSR Malaysia for the Company of the Year Award for Promoting Education and Investment Literacy, "The Excellent Shariah Fund Management Company Award in the Lang International Corporate Titan Awards 2020 for the Marquis Enterprise (Service) category and the Best Islamic Asset Management Award at the Global Islamic Finance Award (GIFA) 2020.

SME financing solution partner

PMB Tijari Bhd (PMB Tijari), a member of the MARA Bhd Investment Group, develops small and medium enterprises (SMEs) through shariah-compliant financing offers for companies with the ability to continue to grow, subject to predetermined conditions.

PMB Tijari offers three products: Al Ijarah (lease), Murabahah and Tawarruq with a maximum financing limit of up to RM5 million, and has funded more than 100 entrepreneurs with an allocation of RM200 million.

To drive the company's success, PMB Tijari aims to increase shariah-compliant financing by RM600 million that would benefit 400 Bumiputera SME entrepreneurs by 2022. Additionally, PMB Tijari is also entrusted by MARA to act as the implementing agency for the National Economic Regeneration Plan (Penjana).

-New Straits Time-