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Thursday, September 20, 2012

The Richest People in America 2012

Forbes launched its definitive ranking of the nation’s superrich in 1982. Back then the price of admission into this most exclusive of clubs was a mere $75 million of net worth. Even after adjusting for inflation, this year’s entry fee ($1.1 billion) is roughly ten times what it was thirty years ago. There were just 13 billionaires at the time and the total worth of the 400 club was a mere $93 billion. Today the combined net worth of the 400 richest Americans is $1.7 trillion, up from $1.5 trillion a year ago. The average net worth of a Forbes 400 member is a staggering $4.2 billion, up from $3.8 billion, and the highest in at least a decade, as two-thirds of the individuals added to their fortunes in the past year. 

The country’s three richest entrepreneurs continue to add billions to their net worth, even as they give money away. Bill Gates, Warren Buffett and Larry Ellison, who hold onto their respective spots at numbers 1, 2 and 3, were up $7 billion, $7 billion and $8 billion, respectively.  Ellison’s $8 billion jump was the biggest dollar gain of anyone on the list this year. 
 
While winners outnumbered losers by nearly four to one, there were some stunning drops. No one fell more dramatically than Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg, whose fortune stumbled $8.1 billion, making him the year’s biggest loser. He is still $2.5 billion richer than he was two years ago and he’s handily entrenched in the ranks.  Not true for some of his other social media brethren who marched onto The Forbes 400 a year ago and have since retreated. Among this year’s 25 drop-offs (another 7 passed away) are Groupon’s Eric Lefkofsky, Zynga’s Mark Pincus and Facebook’s venture capitalist Jim Breyer (who missed the cut by $50 million. )

Our estimates are a snapshot of each list member’s wealth on August 24, the day we locked in net worth numbers and rankings. 

1. Bill Gates

(RAVEENDRAN/AFP/GettyImages)$66 billion (UP)
Source: Microsoft
Age: 56
Residence: Medina, Washington


The planet’s most generous person --he’s given away $28 billion so far -- has a new obsession: building a better toilet for those without water or sewage systems. Every year 1.5 million children die from food and water tainted with fecal matter, more than the annual deaths from AIDS and malaria combined. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is also spearheading a malaria vaccine that is showing promise in clinical trials. Gates’ net worth climbed $7 billion since last year on the strength of Microsoft shares, which rose 20%, and on gains from investments in private equity, bonds and stocks such as hygiene tech firm Ecolab and Mexican TV broadcaster Televisa. He continues to sell shares of Microsoft--he shed 80 million in the past year, about 15% of his stake--so that now just one-fifth of his net worth stems from the software company he cofounded 37 years ago. Gates and his good friend Warren Buffett continue to recruit new members to their Giving Pledge—so far 91 people, including 10 new signatories, have taken the pledge to donate at least half of their fortune to charity, in life or death.

2. Warren Buffett

(Daniel Acker/Bloomberg via Getty Images)$46 billion (UP)
Source: Berkshire Hathaway
Age: 82
Residence: Omaha, Nebraska


Buffett recently completed radiation treatment for prostate cancer, five months after he notified Berkshire Hathaway shareholders of his condition, assuring them that it was “not remotely life-threatening.” Still, he has gotten his house in order. In December, he chose his farmer son, Howard, as the future non-executive chairman and “guardian of the firm’s values.” In February, he said he’d picked his CEO replacement but has declined to give a name. He’s also stepping up philanthropically. He gave $1.5 billion to the Gates Foundation in July, bringing his total giving to $17.25 billion. On his birthday in August, he pledged $3 billion of stock to his children’s foundations. His fortune is up $7 billion as class A shares jumped more than 20% since last year. After studying under Benjamin Graham at Columbia Business School, Buffett offered to work for his former professor’s investment partnership, Graham-Newman Corporation, for free. According to Buffett, “he turned me down as overvalued.” It was only after several years of “pestering” that the father of value investing agreed to take on the younger man in 1954. When Graham retired two years later, Buffett returned to Nebraska to launch his own partnership. In 1962, Buffett began buying up shares of a struggling textile company called Berkshire Hathaway. Though Buffett has called Berkshire “the dumbest stock” he ever bought, the firm has long since shed its textile assets and today serves as Buffett’s famed investment vehicle. In May, Berkshire snapped up dozens of local newspapers from Media General after announcing a deal for the Omaha World-Herald in November 2011.

3. Larry Ellison

(David Paul Morris/Bloomberg via Getty Images)$41 billion (UP)
Source: Oracle
Age: 68
Residence: Woodside, California


Despite ongoing legal battles with such rivals as SAP, HP and Google, shares of Oracle, the software firm Ellison has run for 35 years, were up 20% in the past 12 months. He was the year’s biggest dollar gainer, adding $8 billion to his net worth. He spent a reported $500 million to buy 98% of Hawaiian island of Lanai from David Murdock in June. His other passion, yachting, is making its mark on San Francisco as anticipation builds for the 2013 America’s Cup. Ellison, who signed on to the Gates-Buffett Giving Pledge in 2010, has thus far donated $445 million, mostly via Oracle stock, to his Ellison Medical Foundation, which supports research on aging and age-related diseases. His latest gift to the foundation was 1.6 million shares of Oracle--worth $45 million--in April.

4. Charles Koch (tie)

(Bo Rader/Wichita Eagle/MCT/Newscom)$31 billion (UP)
Source: Diversified
Age: 76
Residence: Wichita, Kansas


The head of the nation’s second biggest private company, $115 billion (sales) Koch Industries, Charles Koch continues to pay down debt and generate rich cash flow.  By Forbes’ estimates the Wichita, Kansas company, with interests in chemicals, refining and Georgia Pacific, which makes Brawny paper towels and Dixie cups, is now worth $75 billion, pushing up Koch’s own net worth by $6 billion in the past year. A well-known libertarian, he gives $40 million plus a year to his foundation, which gives grants to colleges and universities to study "market-based tools that enable individuals, institutions and societies to prosper." He also helped found the Cato Institute, which he sued last year but the parties settled, and the Mercatus Center at George Mason University, both bastions of free-market and libertarian scholarship. And he's busy funding groups designed to raise a new generation of free-market entrepreneurs, including Youth Entrepreneurs Kansas, which teaches entrepreneurship to about 1,000 high school students each year; and the Bill of Rights Institute, which runs programs to educate teachers and students on the importance of the Constitution in "securing our liberty as Americans.”
 
4. David Koch (tie)

(Amanda Gordon/Bloomberg via Getty Images)$31 billion (UP)
Source: Diversified
Age: 72
Residence: New York City


Manhattan’s richest resident David Koch is full of surprises: The New York delegate at the Republican National Convention told Politico that week that he believes in gay marriage and in raising taxes to pay down the federal debt. Earlier in the year, he and his brother Charles had sued the conservative Cato Institute, which they helped found in 1977, over issues of control; the parties later settled. Despite any drama, Koch Industries, the second largest privately held company in the U.S. with interests in pipelines, refineries, fertilizer and consumer products like Brawny paper towel and Dixie cups, continues to generate rich cash flow and pay down debt.  David, who is executive vice president, is worth $6 billion more this year thanks to an increase in the company’s value. A prostate cancer survivor, he says his biggest philanthropic contributions so far go toward a “moon shot” campaign to finding a cure for cancer, to which he’s donated more than $200 million.

6. Christy Walton & family


(L. Matthew Bowler)$27.9 billion (UP)
Source: Wal-Mart
Age: 57
Residence: Jackson, Wyoming


Wal-Mart widow Christy Walton is the richest woman in the United States once again. She inherited her wealth when husband John Walton, a former Green Beret and Vietnam War medic, died in an airplane crash in 2005. John’s investment in First Solar had boosted Christy’s net worth well above the rest of her family, but the stock tanked in 2012, closing her lead to just $1.1 billion (down from $3.4 billion last year) over brother-in-law Jim. The rest of her holdings are in Wal-Mart, the massive retailer founded by her father-in-law Sam Walton and his brother James in 1962. Wal-Mart’s shares are up more than a third since last year, pushing Christy’s net worth up by $3.4 billion.

7. Jim Walton

(Beth Hall/Bloomberg via Getty Images)$26.8 billion (UP)
Source: Wal-Mart
Age: 64
Residence: Bentonville, Arkansas


Wal-Mart heir Jim Walton is the youngest son of retail visionary Sam (d. 1992), who founded the massive retailer with his brother James, opening a single store in Rogers, Ark. in 1962. Wal-Mart now has sales of $444 billion and employs 2.2 million people worldwide. Since last year, Jim received more than $430 million in dividends after taxes, and the stock is up 36%—boosting his net worth by $5.7 billion. He and his siblings have given about $2 billion to the Walton Family Foundation over the last five years. Jim is also the CEO of his family’s Arvest Bank, which has branches in Arkansas, Kansas, Oklahoma and Missouri. He gave $100,000 to the Super PAC for Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney.

8. Alice Walton

(AP Photo/April L. Brown)$26.3 billion  (UP)
Source: Wal-Mart
Age: 62
Residence: Fort Worth, Texas


Wal-Mart heiress Alice Walton opened her ambitious Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in November 2011. The museum, which seeks to bring a world-class art experience to Bentonville, Ark., includes works she has donated herself (with a personal collection valued in the hundreds of millions of dollars.) Alice and her siblings have also donated about $2 billion to the Walton Family Foundation over the last five years. Daughter of retail visionary Sam, Alice graduated from Trinity College in San Antonio, Tex., and now runs a horse ranch in central Texas. Since last year, she received more than $420 million in dividends after taxes, and the stock is up 36%—boosting her net worth by $5.4 billion.

9. S. Robson Walton

(AP Photo/April L. Brown)$26.1 billion (UP)
Source: Wal-Mart
Age: 68
Residence: Bentonville, Arkansas

 
Wal-Mart heir S. Robson Walton has served as chairman of the board for the massive retailer since 1992. Rob is the eldest son of visionary retailer Sam, a former clerk who opened his first store with help from his brother James in 1962 in Rogers, Ark. Today, Wal-Mart has sales of $444 billion and employs 2.2 million people worldwide. Since last year, Rob received more than $420 million in dividends after taxes, and the stock is up 36%—boosting his net worth by $5.6 billion. Before joining Wal-Mart, he was a partner with the law firm of Conner & Winters in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Rob and his siblings have donated about $2 billion to the Walton Family Foundation over the last five years.

10. Michael Bloomberg

(Brad Barket/Getty Images)$25 billion (UP)
Source: Bloomberg LP
Age: 70
Residence: New York City


New York City’s mayor has been working to enact as much change as he can in his adopted hometown during his final term. A ban he proposed on super-sized sugary drinks will take effect in March, and he was vocal in his support of the state’s Marriage Equality Act, passed in 2011. He’s renewed his call for stricter gun control in the wake of July’s movie theater shootings in Colorado. Over the years, he’s given away $2.8 billion. In 2011, he donated $330 million to groups including the Sierra Club, the Alliance for the Arts and the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. At his financial data and media firm, Bloomberg LP, sales popped an estimated 20% in 2011 to $7.6 billion.


See more of The 400 Richest People in America.

Saturday, September 15, 2012

APPLE IPHONE 5 in Malaysia 2012


Apple introduces the thinnest, lightest, fastest and most powerful phone it has ever made, the iPhone 5, which will be released Sept. 21. If the previous lame iPhone 4S managed to pull strong sales, this sexier iPhone 5 with bigger screen and slimmer body should be able to do better. With the four-inch (10-centimeter) screen finally makes its appearance after months (or perhaps years) speculation, Apple literally sends Samsung running for its money.
iPhone 5 - Apple CEO Tim Cook speaks
Now, before we talk about what is new in the latest iPhone 5, let’s see what are the bells and whistles that are not included. As a start, the much talked about NFC digital wallet is not available, probably due to infrastructure technology surrounding NFC is not read yet. When Nokia released its Lumia 820 and 920 that work with wireless charging, immediately Apple fans speculate and even demand that the coming iPhone 5 should come with this cool wireless charging capability. But it didn’t. Apples’ marketing SVP Phil Schiller explained that wireless charging isn’t all that great because you still have to plug somethinginto a wall.
iPhone 5

[ 1 ] iPhone 5 Screen

- this is not something new because it has been leaked to the public (intentionally?) but when it was revealed that the iPhone 5 will have a bigger screen than iPhone 4S, everyone was relieve nevertheless. It’s no brainer that Apple should give in to the demand from the prospect customers for a bigger screen. Actually the iPhone 5 is taller (by 9 millimeter) instead of wider (than iPhone 4S), with fifth row of icons on the home screen.
iPhone 5 - Screen
iPhone 5 - compare iPhone 4S
- while the iPhone 5 features 4-inch screen, it doesn’t compromise on the Retina display. In fact, the new phone gives you 18% more pixels through its 1136-by-640 resolution, maintaining 326 pixels per inch. Of course, developers need to do some work in order for their applications to fill-up the remaining extra spaces lest they wish their apps to appear letterboxed.

[ 2 ] iPhone 5 Size, Weight and Color

- size wise, iPhone 5 is 7.6mm thick and weighs 112g. It’s 20% lighter and 18% thinner and is made of aluminum and glass, which is kinda cool as it looks luxurious.
iPhone 5 - Size Weight Color
- this phone actually has a two-tone back – either “white and silver” or“black and slate”. According to Apple, the back of iPhone 5 is made of anodized 6000 series aluminum – the same material used in Apple notebooks – with inlays along the top and bottom made of ceramic glass (on the white and silver model) or pigmented glass (on the black and slate model).

[ 3 ] iPhone 5 Processor

- as expected, the new iPhone is powered by new Apple A6 processor, with twice the CPU speed and twice the graphics power, based on the latest dual-core ARM Cortex-A15 CPU design.
iPhone 5 - A6 Chip and Battery Power
- Apple claims the processor is better on battery life than predecessor iPhone 4S – up to 8 hours of browsing on a cellular connection, up to 8 hours of talk time, and up to 10 hours of video playback time

[ 4 ] iPhone 5 Ultrafast 4G Network

- as speculated, iPhone 5 is a 4G LTE phone, supporting more networks over the world such as HSPA, HSPA+, and DC-HSDPA.
iPhone 5 - 4G LTE Network
- On the other hand, it’s Dual-band 802.11n wireless connectivity can accelerates Wi-Fi up to 150Mbps, provided your ISP provides such speed in the first place.

[ 5 ] iPhone 5 Nano-SIM

- if you think micro-SIM was small, Apple just announced an even smaller card – Nano-SIM. It is 40% smaller than the current micro-SIM format and measures just 12.3mm wide by 8.8mm high, and 0.67mm thick.
iPhone 5 - Nano-SIM
- now, if you think you can cut your existing micro-SIM into Nano-SIM, the same way you did it previously by cutting normal SIM to micro-SIM, bad news – you can’t simply because Nano-SIM is also 15% “thinner” than micro-SIM. And since you can’t reduce the SIM card thickness, you’re at the mercy of the telecom providers.

[ 6 ] iPhone 5 Cameras

- the 8-megapixel iSight camera is almost the same as that in iPhone 4S, only smaller in size. Apple also claims improvement in 40% faster photo capture, better low-light performance, and improved noise reduction.
iPhone 5 - Cameras
- besides new panorama feature allowing you to shoot up to an impressive 240 degrees, the other thing worth mentioning – now you can do facetime over a cellular connection if Wi-Fi isn’t available. Of course people have been using Skype or Yahoo Messenger to do “third-party facetime” prior to this.
iPhone 5 - Cameras - Panorama
iPhone 5 - Cameras - 2
- instead of VGA-resolution photos and video, iPhone 5 produces 1.2MP photos and 720p HD video.

[ 7 ] iPhone 5 Lightning Connector

- Apple is introducing a new connector – Lightning connector – replacing 30-pin connector, supposedly more durable than the older 30-pin, this 80% smaller Lightning connector is reversible, meaning there’s no wrong way to plug in the cable.
iPhone 5 - Lightning Connector
iPhone 5 - Lightning Adapter
- naturally, the next question is what to do with the old 30-pin connector? You can still use it with a Lightning 30-pin Adapter, which is sold separately at an estimated price of a cool US$29 a piece. A full cable plus adapter costs US$39 but it’s only a matter of time before you can find a cheaper alternative from computer hardware shops.

[ 8 ] iPhone 5 features iOS-6

- historically with every new iPhone model, a new iOS would be introduced so there’s no difference with iPhone 5 as well. As speculated, iOS6 comes withApple’s new Maps app hence R.I.P Google’s Map. The new map features turn-by-turn navigation, real-time traffic info, interactive 3-D view and of course the assistance from Siri in helping you find your way.
iPhone 5 - iOS6
Facebook is now integrated into iOS-6 so you just need to sign-in once and you’re ready to share with the world. You can also share your photosinventories by simply select photos from the Photos app, tap the Share button and choose who you want to share your photos with. iOS-6 is available to download starting on 19 Sept, so mark your calendar.
iPhone 5 - iOS6 - 2
Passbook is another feature which literally means you have your boarding passes – movie tickets, retail coupons, loyalty cards, and more are all in one place. Another feature – when you decline an incoming call, you can instantlyreply with a text message or set a callback reminder. Hmm, but I want feature that allows me to block certain incoming numbers.

[ 9 ] iPhone 5 EarPods

- together with the iPhone 5 introduction, Apple also introduces new headphone or earbud – EarPods, of which the company’s Industrial Design team had tested 124 prototypes on over 600 people.
iPhone 5 - EarPods
iPhone 5 - EarPods 2iPhone 5 - EarPods 3
- this new EarPods are supposed to provide a more natural fit, better durability and better sound quality (try to copy this Samsung, if you dare).

[ 10 ] iPhone 5 Pricing

iPhone 5 - Pricing
- in terms of pricing, iPhone 5 starts at $199 (16GB; $299 for 32GB and $399 for 64GB) in the US with a contract. As usual, the predecessor 16GB iPhone 4S is now priced at $99 (2-year contract) while an 8GB iPhone 4 is free. Since there’ no mention of 3GS, we assume it would be end of life.

[ 11 ] iPhone 5 Availability

- the new phone release date is 21 September and Apple will start taking orders for the phone Friday (14 Sept) in the US, Canada, Britain, France, Germany, Australia, Hong Kong,  Singapore and Japan. In the UK, the handset will be available from the Apple Online Store, Apple’s retail stores, and through Everything Everywhere, Orange, O2, T-Mobile, Vodafone, 3 and select Apple Authorised Resellers.
iPhone5 - Sept21 - countriesiPhone5 - Sept28 - countriesiPhone5 - Dec2012 - countries
- iPhone 5 will be rolled out worldwide to 22 more countries on 28 September, including Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland. Other countries will have to wait till end of the year.

Tuesday, September 11, 2012

Best Fixed Deposit (FD) Rate in Malaysia



What is a Fixed Deposit (FD)

A FD is a type of savings or investment account that guarantees a rate of interest for a fixed period offered by all banks in Malaysia. Unlike most regular savings accounts that calculates interest on a daily basis, no interest is paid to you if you decide to withdraw or uplift just one sen of your money before the end of the FD period, the maturity date . This means a smart investor will only enter into FDs when they are able to put cash aside for the entire period.

Top FD Rates Quick Navigation


Fixed Deposit (FD) vs. Instant access savings (Savings Accounts)

FDNormal instant access savings
+ Generally higher rate of interest+ Easy access to your savings
+ Guaranteed interest rate+ Interest calculated daily
+ Easy calculations for your return+ Generally lower minimum amount to open
- Less flexible/liquidity- Lower rate of interest
You might think putting your money in a normal savings account means you will get high rates of interest. But let’s take a real life example of the extra money you could be saving with a FD over the savings account from the same banking institution, CIMB Bank with a amount of RM25,000.
CIMBInstant Access SavingsFixed DepositExtra RM straight into your pocket!
Interest Rate0.40%3.00%
1 MonthRM3.88RM62.50RM58.67
Interest Rate0.40%3.05%
3 MonthsRM25.01RM187.97RM162.96
Interest rate0.40%3.15%
12 MonthsRM100.18RM798.97RM698.79
The interest rate can vary depending on the length of time you what to keep your money locked up. Normally, the longer the FD time period, the higher the interest rate the banks will offer as represented by the table above. Rates effective as of 17/02/2012.

Why do banks offer higher rates on FD?

It is also very important to know that the longer you fix for, the more you are risking the fact that an unpredicatable future means this could be a bad choice. If interest rates were to increase rapidly, you would’ve lost the flexibility to change and switch to a better FD account without losing the interest that you had earned so far. That is one of the reasons why banks can give you higher interest rates than most savings accounts because you are taking this ‘time risk.’ Furthermore banks don’t pay interest if you withdraw any funds earlier than your selected maturity. This means you have more of an incentive to keep your money with them until the end of the period, thus holding your cash for longer over basic savings account!

Do you depend on savings interest as your income source?

When using fixed rate savings, you won’t usually get paid monthly interest. Therefore many who rely on interest earned from savings as an income stream don’t use FDs, even though they’re paying higher rates. Yet there’s a way to work around this easily.
Here’s an example: Ali has RM100,000, and can get 4% in a 12-month FD and only 1% in an instant access savings account. He would like about RM4,000 of interest from these savings to add to his income for spending. To do this, he should put RM96,000 in the FD, and RM4,000 in the instant access savings. Then spend the instant access money over the year, knowing the RM3,840 interest earned in the fixed account will make up for it. He’ll effectively get the high rate and be spending the interest.
This way you can grab the higher rate FD accounts, but retain access to enough cash in the meantime. Remember though, if you might need to get at the whole lump within the fixed term, this trick won’t help and FDs may not be for you.

Is my money safe in Fixed Deposits?

During the 2008 financial crisis, global banks around the world starting collapsing and since then, people started to question the security of their savings. The possibility of local and foreign banks in Malaysia remaining in business forever is not guaranteed and thus your savings could be at risk should a bank fail. So is your money safe?
The golden rule to saving is to ensure you put your cash into a Malaysia regulated bank that is protected under the Perbadanan Insurans Deposit Malaysia (PIDM) membership scheme. PIDM protects your bank deposits and will promptly reimburse you on your insured deposits should a member bank fail and there is no charge for this insurance protection.  Keep an eye out for the logo at your banking institution (image below).
Savings of up to RM 250,000 is guaranteed by the PIDM per institution so if you have less than than, you don’t have too much to worry about. If you have more to save, you can get protection on your entire savings by dividing your savings into several FD accounts/bank institutions.

Example: you had RM1,000,000 and didn’t want to take any risk, you could open 4 separate FDs in 4 separate banks.

Another way to protect your savings is to open joint accounts because they also enjoy separate deposit insurance under the PIDM scheme. You could place RM250,000 into your own FD but also open a joint FD accounts with your father, mother spouse etc.
What you are effectively doing is spreading the risk over many banks and thus not putting all your eggs into one basket. Click here for a list of all PIDM member institutions.

The Best 1-Month FD Rates – up to 3.26% p.a.

Keeping money in a 1-month FD is a simple way to increase your interest income without having to sacrifice too much short term requirement of funds. By managing your monthly incomings and outgoings you can organise a different 1-month FD every month and still have access to your funds when you need it on one day each month.

Bank Rakyat Qiradh GIA / GIA (Mubeen) – Highest 1-month FD rate at 3.26% p.a.Drawback: no explict guarantee from PIDM, only Ministry of Finance implicit guarantee

Interest Rate: 3.26% p.a
Minimum Deposit: 
RM 5,000
Minimum Age Requirement: 
18 yrs
Tenure: 1-month
Features: - Bank Rakyat Qiradh GIA
1. Investors can take profits of each month for a period of 6 months with an investment of RM20, 000.00 and above.
2. Automatic renewal of certificates.
3. Investment certificates can be used as collateral for such financing: Secured Investment Certificate-i Al-Mudharabah, Education Financing-i Al-Falah and Contract Financing-i Tijari.
Bank Rakyat Qiradh GIA (Mubeen)
1. Profits will be given upfront to the depositors on a monthly basis as declared by the Bank beforehand.
Calculated Interest:
Bank Rakyat GIA-i0.268%3.26% p.a.
Deposit Amount1 month Interest12 months interest
RM10,000RM26.77RM326.00
RM50,000RM133.85RM1,630.00
RM100,000RM267.69RM3,260.00
 
Go to Bank Raykat
Bank Rakyat’s Qiradh General Investment Account-i is the market leader at 3.26% p.a, outfoxing it’s nearest competitors by a significant margin ( most other banks hover around the 2.90%-3.00% rate to Affin Bank’s 3.06% p.a.) However, our main concern is with their PIDM status. As Bank Rakyat is a Cooperative Bank, they are not covered under this explicit guarantee. As such, you will only get implicit protection from the Ministry of Finance under the Development of Financial Institution Act (DAFIA).

Affin Islamic Bank General Investment Account-i – 1-month rate at 3.06% p.aDrawback: limited branches in Malaysia, minimum deposit of RM5,000 

Interest Rate: 3.06% p.a
Minimum Deposit: 
RM 5,000
Minimum Age Requirement: 
18 yrs
Tenure: 1-month
Features:1. Flexible period of investment from 1 month to 60 months and allow you to make partial withdrawals.
2.Automatic renewal upon maturity.
3.Profit earned can be automatically credited into your Current Account and Saving Account.
Calculated Interest:
Affin Islamic GIA0.251%3.06% p.a.
Deposit Amount1 month Interest12 months interest
RM10,000RM25.15RM306.00
RM50,000RM125.75RM1,530.00
RM100,000RM251.49RM3,060.00
Go to Affin Islamic Bank
Affin Islamic Bank’s rate of 3.06% p.a is market leading among the more established banks in the industry, but only marginally. Most large banks in Malaysia offer between 2.90%-3.00% for 1-month FDs.

 The Best 1-month FD rate for Senior Citizens

Public Bank Golden 50 PLUS Fixed Deposit Account-highest 1-month among major banks at 3.1% p.a.Drawback: minimum age of 50 yrs, minimum deposit of RM30,000 

Interest rate: 3.1% p.a
Minimum Deposit:
 RM30,000
Minimum Age Requirement: 
 50 yrs
Tenure: 1-month
Features:
1. Optional overdraft facility of up to 100% margin at attractive rates.
2. No introducer is required if you wish to open a current account.
3. Waiver of service charge for current account.
4. Special discounts applicable to accountholders aged 50 years and above:
- 50% discount on commission for purchase of Travellers’ Cheques.
- 50% discount on rental and renewal of a safe deposit box for 2 years, where available.
- 50% discount when making a Will or creating a Trust with PB Trustee Services Berhad.
- 1/8% off the Bank’s prevailing selling rates for purchase of foreign currency notes.
- Discounts on the following insurance products with Lonpac Insurance Berhad:-
TypeDiscount Rate
Householders Insurance15%
Traveller Personal Accident Insurance25%
Golfers Insurance25%
5.
Placement OptionsOption 1Option 2
Tenure1 to 12 months15, 18, 21, 24, 36, 48 & 60 months
Interest Rate0.1% p.a. above the prevailing PLUS Fixed Deposit interest rates for the respective tenures0.1% p.a. above the prevailing 15 months PLUS Fixed Deposit interest rates
Interest Payment MethodCredited into customer’s savings or current account maintained with the Bank upon maturity,
OR
Add to the principal upon maturity
Credited into customer’s savings or current account maintained with the Bank on a monthly basis
Calculated Interest:
PB Golden 50 PLUS FD0.255%3.10% p.a.
Deposit Amount1 month Interest12 months interest
RM10,000RM25.47RM310.00
RM50,000RM127.37RM1,550.00
RM100,000RM254.73RM3,100.00
Eligible for protection by PIDM
 
Go to Public Bank
Public Bank’s Golden 50 PLUS Fixed Deposit Account is market leading among the more established banks, but only by a slim margin. Most large banks in Malaysia offer 2.90%-3.00% p.a for a 1-month tenure. Senior citizens (50 yrs or older) who are willing to deposit RM30,000 of their money can enjoy leading market rates, along with a slew of other benefits, which in our opinon, make it a very attractive package.

The Best 3-Month FD rates -  up to 4.95% p.a

HSBC Amanah 5.00% p.a. 3-month Term Deposit-i (Fixed Deposit) branch opening promotion – actually you only get 4.54%-4.95% p.a. but still a top 3-month rate (ends 30th September 2012 / 31st October 2012)Drawback: You can only open this account at 5 branch locations (4 in Klang Valley, 1 in Johor); RM500 additional deposit into a low interest bearing current account

Interest Rate: 5.00% p.a
Minimum Deposit: RM5,000
Maximum Deposit: RM50,000 (RM100,000 if you open a HSBC Premier account)
Minimum Age Requirement: 18 yrs
Tenure: 3-months
TnC’s:1. Fresh funds only (ie. not from existing HSBC Accounts
2. Promotion ends: 30th September 2012 for Maluri, City Centre and Kota Damansara branches, 31st October 2012 for Kulai and Cyberjaya branches
Calculated Interest:
If you had RM5,500: (RM5,000 in FD and RM500 in Current Account):
OCBC 5.00% p.a. 3-month FD Promotion3-month Term Deposit-iHSBC Amanah Advance-iTotal
Deposit AmountRM5,000.00RM500.00RM5,500.00
Interest Rate (p.a)5.00%0.06%4.54%
Interest EarnedRM61.36RM0.07RM61.44
If you had RM50,500: (RM50,000 in FD and RM500 in Current Account):
OCBC 5.00% p.a. 3-month FD Promotion3-month Term Deposit-iHSBC Amanah Advance-iTotal
Deposit AmountRM50,000.00RM500.00RM50,500.00
Interest Rate (p.a)5.00%0.06%4.95%
Interest EarnedRM613.61RM0.07RM613.69
Go to HSBC
HSBC are having an opening promotion for 5 of their new branches, where accountholders can earn market leading FD interest rates of 5.00% p.a. by applying for a HSBC Premier (need RM200,000 handy!) or a HSBC Amanah Advance account (normally need RM20,000 deposit into this current account or face a RM10 monthly charge, but this is waived for 12 month upon account opening at these new branches). We would say make use of the HSBC Amanah Advance Account-i monthly service waiver and open that account with RM500 (the interest rate here is a shameful 0.06% p.a. so put the minimum RM500), and put in whatever else you have (you need more than RM5,000 and can put in a maximum of RM50,000) into the 3-month Term Deposit-i at 5.00% p.a.
We’re guessing its part of the promotion, but we don’t like that you are limited to only these 5 branches, especially in the digital age of online applications! Still, if you can get yourself to those branches before the end of the promotion, why not?

OCBC 3-month Savings Combo (Fixed Deposit) – top 3 month rate of 4.5%Drawback: need to have a minimum of RM10,000 of new funds, put a minimum of 20% of the placement in an OCBC Smart Savers account

Interest Rate: 4.16%-4.25% p.a 
Minimum Deposit: 
RM10,000 and at least 20% (RM2,000) into an OCBC Smart Savers account
Minimum Age Requirement: 
18 yrs
Tenure: 3-months
TnC:- You need a minimum of RM10,000 in new funds
-  A minimum of 20% of the placement in an OCBC Smart Savers account is required.
Calculated Interest:
OCBC Savings Combo 3-months1.024%4.16% p.a.
Deposit Amount3 month Interest12 months interest
RM10,000RM102.42RM416.00
RM50,000RM512.08RM2,080.00
RM100,000RM1,024.16RM4,160.00
Go to OCBC Bank
OCBC have come up with their new 3-month FD rate promotion, offering a headline grabbing rate of 4.50% p.a till 30th September 2012. Do you really get 4.50% p.a.?  By combining the 100% FD and 20% Smartsavers you can get a market leading effective 4.16% p.a., and up to 4.25% p.a. For a detailed description and calculations, please take a look at our full product review at OCBC Savings Combo 4.50% p.a. 3-month FD Review (ends 30 September 2012)

OCBC Mighty Savers Weekend 3-month Fixed Deposit Promotion – 3-month top rate of 4.00% p.aDrawback: need to purchase one of the selected OCBC products to be eligible, minimum deposit of RM10,000, FD Promotion is limited to one FD placement per customer per Mighty SaversTM weekend.

Interest Rate: 4.00% p.a
Minimum Deposit: 
RM10,000
Max Deposit:  RM50,000
Minimum Age Requirement: 18 yrs
Tenure: 3-months
TnC:1. Eligible customers will get to enjoy the following promotional 3-month Fixed Deposit (“FD”) interest rates should they open/purchase any of these OCBC Products on the same day during the Mighty Savers TM weekend
- Savings Account* (includes Mighty Savers TM Account but excludes Builder, Builder Express and Multiplier Savings Account)
- Current Account
- Unit Trust products (minimum investment of RM5000) or other investment products such as Dual Currency Investments or structured investments.
2.Limited to one FD placement per customer per Mighty SaversTM weekend.
- No interest will be paid before completion of the first 3-months of FD placement.
Calculated Interest:
OCBC Mighty Savers 3-months0.985%4.00% p.a.
Deposit Amount3 month Interest12 months interest
RM10,000RM98.53RM400.00
RM50,000RM492.67RM2,000.00
RM100,000RM985.34RM4,000.00
Go to OCBC Bank
OCBC’s Mighty Savers Weekend Promotion offers an astounding rate of 4.00% p.a, coming in second only to it’s sister product, OCBC Savings Combo. However, in order to be eligible, customers are required to open/purchase one of several products offered by OCBC. For those who view this as a waste of money, it isn’t necessarily a bad thing, as the cost of opening a Mighty Saver’s account for your child is RM 200 with a minimum remaining balance of RM 20. Other avenues are also available should you be interested in purchasing another product.

Hong Leong Bank 3-month 1% p.a extra interest promotion- effective 3.7% p.a making it a leading rateDrawback: only RM10,000 can be put into the FD (no more, no less), a minimum or RM1,000 has to be deposited into a Savings Account

Interest Rate: 3.7% p.a
Minimum Deposit: 
RM10,000 in FD, RM1000 into a Savings Account
Max Deposit:  RM10,000 in FD
Minimum Age Requirement: 18 yrs
Tenure: 3-months
TnC:
1.Customers must nominate that the interest from the FD be credited into the nominated Savings Account, otherwise you will get disqualified.
2. Only new funds are accepted.
3. The incremental average daily balance (ADB) for the Savings Account must be RM1,000 over the promotion month period.
4. Customers must keep the savings account open till 31 January 2013.
5. By taking up this product, you automatically get signed up for an entry into a Contest to win 10 Hyundai cars.
Calculated Interest: 
HLB 1% p.a 3-months0.912%3.70% p.a.
Deposit Amount3 month Interest12 months interest
RM10,000RM91.24RM370.00
RM50,000RM456.22RM1,850.00
RM100,000RM912.44RM3,700.00
Go to Hong Leong Bank
Hong Leong Bank’s extra 1% p.a promotion may state that it offers a rate of 3.95% p.a, however, given that you have to put RM1,000 out of your RM11,000 into a Savings Account(take the highest interest possible, Hong Leong Basic Savings account at 0.25% p.a., so you get 1.25% p.a. with the bonus interest), assuming you put the money in for 3 months (the promotion is actually slightly longer at 4 months long, but we would suggest to take the money out after the first 3 months are over) your effective rate is more like 3.70% p.a. over the 3 month period, still a top rate, as most 3-month rates are within the 3.10%-3.20% p.a. range, so it is worth considering moving your extra cash here if you want a top 3 month rate.
Hong Leong Bank FD PromotionBasic Savings Account for 3 months3-month FDTotal
Placement amountRM1,000RM10,000RM11,000
Interest rate (p.a.)1.25%3.95%3.70%
Interest earned after 3 monthsRM3.11RM97.32RM100.43
For more details, take a look at our full product review of the Hong Leong Bank 1% p.a. Extra Interest on Fixed Deposit and Savings Account Promotion.

 The Best 6-Month FD rates – up to 3.85% p.a.

Kuwait Finance House Gold Discovery 3 – Golden Opportunity 1 (Offer 2)- Hurry! 3.85% p.a market topping rate! (ends 31st December 2012)Drawback: offer only valid for a limited time only, limited branches in Malaysia, minimum deposit of RM20,000

Interest Rate: 3.85% p.a
Minimum Deposit: 
RM20,000
Minimum Age Requirement: 18 yrs
Tenure: 6-months
Features: Existing Gold Account-i customers with a minimum of 10gm of gold in their account, are eligible to enjoy Offer 1 with a higher rate of 4.00% p.a.
Calculated Interest: 
KFH 6-months1.907%3.85% p.a.
Deposit Amount6 month Interest12 months interest
RM10,000RM190.68RM385.00
RM50,000RM953.41RM1,925.00
RM100,000RM1,906.82RM3,850.00
 
Go to KFH
Kuwait Finance House Gold Discovery 3′s promotion offers a chart topping rate of 3.85% p.a, leaving other major competing banks in it’s wake. It is understandable that the term “commodity” in this product might raise some eyebrows. However, it is important to note that we are investing our money into the product offered by the bank, and not the commodity it is investing in, making the product behave exactly like a Fixed Deposit.
As such, the overall performance of the bank’s own internal investments is of little concern to us as the bank is compelled to pay interest to this account regardless. On top of that, this product is also eligible for protection by PIDM.

Bank Rakyat Qiradh GIA/ GIA (Mubeen) (Fixed Deposit)- top 6 month rate at 3.75% p.aDrawback: no explicit guarantee from PIDM, only Ministry of Finance implicit guarantee

Interest Rate: 3.75% p.a
Minimum Deposit: 
RM 500
Minimum Age Requirement: 18 yrs
Tenure: 6-months
Features: Bank Rakyat Qiradh GIA
1. Investors can take profits of each month for a period of 6 months with an investment of RM20, 000.00 and above.
2. Automatic renewal of certificates.
3. Investment certificates can be used as collateral for such financing: Secured Investment Certificate-i Al-Mudharabah, Education Financing-i Al-Falah and Contract Financing-i Tijari.
Bank Rakyat Qiradh GIA (Mubeen)
1. Profits will be given upfront to the depositors on a monthly basis as declared by the Bank beforehand.
Calculated Interest: 
Bank Rakyat 6-months1.858%3.75% p.a.
Deposit Amount6 month Interest12 months interest
RM10,000RM185.77RM375.00
RM50,000RM928.87RM1,875.00
RM100,000RM1,857.74RM3,750.00
Go to Bank Rakyat
Bank Rakyat’s Qiradh General Investment Account-i is the market leader here with 3.75% p.a. Our main concern is with their PIDM status. As Bank Rakyat is a Cooperative Bank, they are not covered under this explicit guarantee, and you will only get implicit protection from the Ministry of Finance under the Development of Financial Institution Act (DAFIA).

CIMB Bank Step Up Fixed Deposit Promotion up to 4.88% p.a – effective rate of 3.39% p.aDrawback: lasts for a limited period of time, promotional rate of 4.88% p.a is only enjoyed on the final month

Interest Rate:  3.10% p.a for the first 5 months, 4.88% p.a for the 6th month (effectively 3.39% p.a, 3.40% p.a. for Preferred customers)
Minimum Deposit: 
RM5,000
Minimum Age Requirement: 18 yrs
Tenure: 6-months
Features:1. Open to both CIMB Retail Customers and CIMB Preferred Customers.
2. Multiple placements with a minimum of RM5,000 are allowed.
3. Hassle-free crediting of interest into your choice of CIMB Bank Current or Savings Account.
4. CIMB Preferred Customers can enjoy a higher rate of 5.00% p.a for the 6th month with a minimum deposit of RM50,000.
Calculated Interest: Assume you have RM100,000 to save, you will earn the following:
CIMB Step Up Fixed Deposit PromotionFirst 5 monthsMonth 6Total
Interest rate (p.a)3.10%4.88%3.39%
Amount of interest on RM100,000RM1,298RM407RM1,705
Go to CIMB Bank
Despite being miles away from the eye-catching 4.88% p.a, the effective rate of 3.39% p.a is still a market leader among major banks, only falling behind Bank Rakyat and Kuwait Finance House’s Gold Discovery Promotion (at the time of writing). Unlike their previous promotion, this one is open to both CIMB Retail and Preferred Customers. Additionally, preferred customers are treated to a higher rate of 5.00% p.a for their final month of tenure (minimum deposit amount of RM50,000), giving them an even higher effective rate of 3.40% p.a..

Affin Islamic Bank General Investment Account-i – competitive 6-month rate of 3.26% p.a., good if you don’t want Bank RakyatDrawback: limited branches in Malaysia

Interest Rate: 3.26% p.a
Minimum Deposit: 
RM 500
Minimum Age Requirement: 
18 yrs
Tenure: 6-months
Features:1. Flexible period of investment from 1 month to 60 months and allow you to make partial withdrawals.
2.Automatic renewal upon maturity.
3.Profit earned can be automatically credited into your Current Account and Saving Account.
Calculated Interest:
Affin/Affin Islamic 6-months1.617%3.26% p.a.
Deposit Amount6 month Interest12 months interest
RM10,000RM161.69RM326.00
RM50,000RM808.46RM1,630.00
RM100,000RM1,616.93RM3,260.00
Go to Affin Islamic Bank

 The Best 9-month FD rates – up to 3.85% p.a

Bank Rakyat Qiradh GIA / GIA (Mubeen) (Fixed Deposit)- top 9 month rate at 3.75% p.aDrawback: no explicit guarantee from PIDM, only Ministry of Finance implicit guarantee

Interest Rate: 3.85% p.a
Minimum Deposit: 
RM 500
Minimum Age Requirement: 18 yrs
Tenure: 9-months
Features: Bank Rakyat Qiradh GIA
1. Investors can take profits of each month for a period of 6 months with an investment of RM20, 000.00 and above.
2. Automatic renewal of certificates.
3. Investment certificates can be used as collateral for such financing: Secured Investment Certificate-i Al-Mudharabah, Education Financing-i Al-Falah and Contract Financing-i Tijari.
Bank Rakyat Qiradh GIA (Mubeen)
1. Profits will be given upfront to the depositors on a monthly basis as declared by the Bank beforehand.
Calculated Interest:
Bank Rakyat 9-months2.874%3.85% p.a.
Deposit Amount9 month Interest12 months interest
RM10,000RM287.38RM385.00
RM50,000RM1,436.91RM1,925.00
RM100,000RM2,873.82RM3,850.00
Go to Bank Rakyat
Once again, Bank Rakyat’s Qiradh General Investment Account-i is the market leader here with 3.75% p.a. Our main concern is with their PIDM status. As Bank Rakyat is a Cooperative Bank, they are not covered under this explicit guarantee, and you will only get implicit protection from the Ministry of Finance under the Development of Financial Institution Act (DAFIA).

OCBC Fixed Deposit / Mudharabah General Investment Account-i – new high promotional rate at 3.60% p.a (as of 30 June 2012)Drawback: limited branches in Malaysia, high minimum deposit at RM10,000

Interest Rate: 3.60% p.a 
Minimum Deposit: 
RM10,000
Minimum Age Requirement: 
18 yrs
Tenure: 9-months
Calculated Interest:
OCBC FD Mubarah 9-months2.688%3.60% p.a.
Deposit Amount9 month Interest12 months interest
RM10,000RM268.80RM360.00
RM50,000RM1,344.01RM1,800.00
RM100,000RM2,688.03RM3,600.00
Go to OCBC Bank
If you have RM10,000 to spare, you might want to consider putting your money into the OCBC Booster Deals 9-month FD. The new promotional rate bumps up the standard declared rate by a significant margin from 3.00%p.a to 3.60% p.a.

The Best 12-Month FD rates –  up to 4.01 % p.a

Bank Rakyat Qiradh GIA / GIA (Mubeen) (Fixed Deposit) – highest 12 month rate at 4.01% p.aDrawback: no explicit guarantee from PIDM, only Ministry of Finance implicit guarantee

Interest Rate: 4.01% p.a
Minimum Deposit: 
RM 500
Minimum Age Requirement: 18 yrs
Tenure: 12-months
Features: Bank Rakyat Qiradh GIA
1. Investors can take profits of each month for a period of 6 months with an investment of RM20,000.00 and above.
2. Automatic renewal of certificates.
3. Investment certificates can be used as collateral for such financing: Secured Investment Certificate-i Al-Mudharabah, Education Financing-i Al-Falah and Contract Financing-i Tijari.
Bank Rakyat Qiradh GIA (Mubeen)
1. Profits will be given upfront to the depositors on a monthly basis as declared by the Bank beforehand.
Calculated Interest:
Bank Rakyat 12-months4.01% p.a.
Deposit Amount12 months interest
RM10,000RM401.00
RM50,000RM2,005.00
RM100,000RM4,010.00
Go to Bank Rakyat
No surprises here, Bank Rakyat’s Qiradh General Investment Account-i is the market leader with 4.01% p.a. However, once again, our main concern is with their PIDM status. As Bank Rakyat is a Cooperative Bank, they are not covered under this explicit guarantee, and you will only get implicit protection from the Ministry of Finance under the Development of Financial Institution Act (DAFIA).

Kuwait Finance House Gold Discovery 3 – Golden Opportunity 1 (Offer 2)- Hurry! 3.85% p.a market topping rate! (ends 31st December 2012)Drawback: offer only valid for a limited time only, limited branches in Malaysia, minimum deposit of RM20,000

Interest Rate: 3.85% p.a
Minimum Deposit: 
RM20,000
Minimum Age Requirement: 18 yrs
Tenure: 12-months
Features: Existing Gold Account-i customers with a minimum of 10gm of gold in their account, are eligible to enjoy Offer 1 with a higher rate of 4.00% p.a.
Calculated Interest:
KFH 12-months3.85% p.a.
Deposit Amount12 months interest
RM10,000RM385.00
RM50,000RM1,925.00
RM100,000RM3,850.00
 
Go to KFH
Kuwait Finance House Gold Discovery 3′s promotion offers a market leading rate of 3.85% p.a, coming in second only to Bank Rakyat’s 4.01%. It is understandable that the term “commodity” in this product might raise some eyebrows. However, it is important to note that we are investing our money into the product offered by the bank, and not the commodity it is investing in, making the product behave exactly like a Fixed Deposit.
As such, the overall performance of the bank’s own internal investments is of little concern to us as the bank is compelled to pay interest to this account regardless. On top of that, this product is also eligible for protection by PIDM.

OCBC 12-month Fixed Deposit / Mudharabah General Investment Account-i – new high promotional rate at 3.80% p.a (effective 3.64% p.a.) (as of 19 May 2012)Drawback: limited branches in Malaysia, high minimum deposit at RM10,000, have to put 20% in another OCBC account

Interest Rate: 3.80% p.a (combined with 20% in SmartSavers, get effective 3.64% p.a.)
Minimum Deposit: RM10,000
Minimum Age Requirement: 18 yrs
Tenure: 12-months
Calculated Interest:
OCBC 12-month Deposit Deals Promotion3.64% p.a.
Deposit Amount12 months interest
RM10,000RM364.00
RM50,000RM1,820.00
RM100,000RM3,640.00
 
Go to OCBC
If you have RM10,000 to spare, then you may consider putting your money into the new OCBC Deposit Deals 12-month FD. The catch here is that you have to put 20% of your intended fresh funds into an OCBC Current or Savings account (at a much lower interest). We would suggest putting that 20% into an OCBC SmartSavers account earning you 3.00% p.a. Your effective rate will be [(80% x 3.80%) + (20% x 3.00%)]= 3.64% p.a.
List of OCBC branches here

Affin Islamic Bank General Investment Account-i – competitive 6-month rate of 3.60% p.a., good if you don’t want Bank RakyatDrawback: limited branches in Malaysia

Interest Rate: 3.60% p.a
Minimum Deposit: 
RM 500
Minimum Age Requirement: 
18 yrs
Tenure: 12-months
Features:1. Flexible period of investment from 1 month to 60 months and allow you to make partial withdrawals.
2.Automatic renewal upon maturity.
3.Profit earned can be automatically credited into your Current Account and Saving Account.
Calculated Interest:
Affin Bank/Affin Islamic Bank 12-month General Investment Account-i3.60% p.a.
Deposit Amount12 months interest
RM10,000RM360.00
RM50,000RM1,800.00
RM100,000RM3,600.00

Go to Affin Islamic Bank

Some additional points for the high flyers out there:

If you are a preferred or priority bank customer, you may receive higher rate than what’s advertised online or in branch. Furthermore, having a long standing relationship with a Bank also can give you more leverage over interest rate negotiations. Banks like to keep their existing preferred/premier customers happy and having a good history with your Relationship Manager can also give you more power in your discussions with them.

Final SaveMoney FD tips

  1. Although rates are published, always ask to speak to someone in the bank to negotiate the interest rate (the higher the amount saved, the more leverage you have to grab a better deal!)
  2. Spread your savings of up to RM 250,000 per FD account to keep it extra safe.
  3. Keep scouting around for the highest FD rate (or keep checking us out!).
  4. And finally, start saving NOW. It’s never too early to start saving money!

Beware of the Dog

Only enter into an FD if you don’t need the whole lump sum within the fixed term. Look out for FDs that charges a penalty or fine for withdrawing money out before the end of the period, not just waiving the interest. Some FDs are not auto renewable which means going into the branch is the only way to extend your saving period.

Source: http://savemoney.my/

FOREX 4U