Royal interaction with students focuses on holistic youth development
Kuala Lumpur: CIMB Foundation’s (or “the Foundation) flagship financial literacy programme Be$MART, was today graced by the presence of two royals: the Raja Muda Selangor, Duli Yang Teramat Mulia Tengku Amir Shah ibni Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah Al-Haj and Group Chief Executive, CIMB Group, YM Tengku Dato’ Sri Zafrul Aziz. It was an interactive session held at Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) and was attended by 100 final year students from UPM’s Faculty of Economics and Management.
Leveraging on the financial expertise of CIMB Group, a leading Asean universal bank, Be$mart is the Foundation’s comprehensive financial literacy programme specifically tailored for college and undergraduate students nationwide, to equip them with the right knowledge on managing their finances for every stage of their lives. Fully-financed by CIMB Foundation, Be$MART is a two-day session that utilises a mixture of lectures, simulations and games meant to deliver an end-to-end view of financial management in a fun and interactive way. Since its incorporation in 2007, CIMB Foundation has invested over RM21 million in supporting educational projects and initiatives within ASEAN.
Duli Yang Teramat Mulia Tengku Amir Shah ibni Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah Al-Haj said, “Youth development is a subject matter that is very close to my heart, and it encompasses shaping their understanding to enable them to practice good financial habits. I commend CIMB Foundation for conceptualising the Be$mart programme to ensure our youths are properly guided and fully empowered to take control of their financial future. Financial literacy is vital for youths as their decisions on money management are crucial in preventing youth bankruptcy.”
Tengku Dato’ Sri Zafrul Aziz said, “We are deeply honoured to have Raja Muda Selangor at our Be$mart workshop to help inculcate in youths the importance of good financial management. Leveraging on CIMB’s financial expertise, CIMB Foundation is championing a much needed educational programme that, I’m sure, will reap dividends for many years to come, not only for Be$MART beneficiaries by making them future-ready for the adult world, but also for the nation.”
Vice Chancellor (VC) of UPM, Prof. Datin Paduka Dr. Aini Ideris said, “I laud CIMB Foundation's efforts on Be$mart, which complements the concept of ensuring a holistic education for students to help prepare them for their working life, and all the financial obligations that come with it. Ben Franklin once said, 'An investment in knowledge always pays the best interest'. I look forward to continuing this collaboration with CIMB Foundation to equip more of our students with knowledge on financial planning and management."
Through the Be$MART programme, CIMB Foundation aims to leave a legacy of well-informed and educated youths who are financially independent, so they can become exemplary models for future generations.
The Be$MART programme was officially launched in December 2016 and the first phase will run nationwide for two years. To date, 34 sessions have been conducted, against a total of 80 sessions for the rest of 2017. The programme is expected to remain in the Foundation’s educational agenda for many years to come.
Modules of the Be$MART programme cover a wide range of money management lessons such as delayed gratification, goal setting with Financial IQ, Risk Assessment & Profiling, Property Investment, Debt Management, Financial and Lifestyle Changes, Unit Trust Investments, Wealth Multiplier Lifestyle, Budgeting and Tracking, Shares Investments, Financial & Investment Planning and Identifying Scams.
