CEO’s Message

Jerry Mander was an American activist and author, well-known for his book about television, “Four Arguments for the Elimination of Television”, published in 1978. That feels like a long time ago, because it was! Anyone who worried about television back then, including Mander, would be baffled by the current state of things. As it turns out, television was only the beginning. Mobile phones turned out to be the bigger problem.

There is always a new problem, or opportunity, depending on how you see it.

People watched television back then, unaware of its effects. Wise mothers called it “the idiot box” and warned it could melt your brain. Yet none of that dimmed the desire for more programming. They even called it exactly that — “programming” — images curated by executives to keep viewers hooked. The stronger the hook, the higher the advertising rates charged to clients.

Captivating hooks are essential for capturing attention and driving buy-in. For PPA’s “I Save in PRS Treats” campaign this quarter, our hook is a total reward pool of RM138,000 in investment units. Beyond the value, “138” symbolically represents “wealth for life” in Chinese culture – a fitting reflection of the future I hope every PRS member can build: one of greater financial security and peace of mind.

It all seems so innocent now, since mobile phones and tablets have taken over as the most addictive way to stumble through life. Television requires a living room, a sofa, or at least a bean bag. Phones and tablets have people walking into poles and missing almost everything. Try talking to eight-year-olds when they are glued to their iPhone or iPad. The problem is, we live in a hyperstimulated world. Like surviving a cytokine storm, we have to be intentional about our environment and our habits. Over time, they determine our outcomes.

It is, in fact, the best time in history to be alive. People talk about the good old days or some distant time they are just sure was better than now. I disagree, mostly because I was not alive then! Today, we have conveniences and possibilities that previous generations could only have imagined. We should use them to enhance our experience. The artificial intelligence (AI) era opens limitless opportunities and uncharted horizons. Today is pretty amazing.

We can dial up just about any piece of information in seconds, on the go. This makes learning more fun than ever.

“Tell me and I forget,
teach me and I may remember,
involve me and I learn”.

This is exactly what we do with our newly enhanced PRS Member portal. Coming this December, a new Funds Performance Monitoring and Benchmarking tool will be available on the PRS Member portal, making fund selection easier than ever! It is designed to seamlessly align with each member’s risk profile and return target.

At PPA, we believe everyone deserves the chance to invest, regardless of their net worth. Successful investing is not about having a lot of money upfront. It’s about staying consistent, diversifying portfolio, and letting time do the heavy lifting. There is no secret code for successful investing. It simply takes continuous learning, keeping an eye on the market, and staying committed over time.

“The future brings exciting new possibilities, but turning them into reality starts with you ”.