Public Mutual: The 5 Star Funds rated by Morningstar Rating™

These days, rating has become so important to the extent that rating can seriously affect the sales of a certain product. So now I will like to list out the funds rated 5 Star (which is the maximum) rated by Morningstar Rating™, and their fund managers for the excellent jobs in making these funds profitable to the extent of 5 Star.

Public Aggressive Growth Fund (PAGF)
Designated Fund Managers:
Tan Yan Heong
Lum Peck Woon

Public Equity Fund (PEF)
Designated Fund Managers:
Tan Yan Heong
Lum Peck Woon

Public Growth Fund (PGF)
Designated Fund Managers:
Tan Yan Heong
Lum Peck Woon

Public Regular Savings Fund (PRSF)
Designated Fund Managers:
Tan Yan Heong
Chen Yuet Fong

Public Smallcap Fund (P SmallCap)
Designated Fund Managers:
Lum Ming Jang
Tan Yan Heong

Public Enhanced Bond (PEBF)
Designated Fund Managers:
Chan Kam Khoon
Chiang Kang Pey

Public Mutual: Best in Asia

These days there are so many awards to be won. For example in the entertainment industry, there are American Idol, then come the Superstar and other talent quests contests, and some I feel is substandard.

So no doubt when there are announcements on someone won some award, I feel skeptical and will run a background check on the reputation of the award.

So when Public Mutual Bhd has been named “Best Fund Manager in Asia” for the second consecutive year by Dubai-based Failaka Advisors, I look up on Failaka Advisors.

Failaka Advisors was founded in 1996, and has offices in Chicago and Dubai. Failaka Advisors is the recognized leader in Islamic fund research, offering institutions and private investors the largest and most detailed database of information on Shariah-compliant equity funds worldwide.

Failaka also recognizes the best-performing of the world's Islamic investment funds at its annual Failaka Islamic Fund Awards, the premier global event for recognizing excellence in Islamic investment and money management.

On Public Mutual being named Best Fund Manager in Asia, Failaka Advisors managing director Mark Smyth said, “In terms of syariah-compliant funds, Public Mutual's funds have once again outperformed the benchmarks by the highest percentages." In this sense, I believe Public Mutual truly deserved this award. Public Mutual was also named Most Outstanding Islamic Fund Manager at KLIFF Islamic Finance Awards.

So after receiving two awards, no doubt Public Mutual is the Best Islamic Fund Manager.

Types of Unit Trust

Recently I attended a workshop organized by the Malaysian Financial Planning Council (MFPC), titled "Elevating Financial Planning Literacy of Malaysians". As the Unit Trust Industry in Malaysia gets more complex and varied, it has become harder to actually classified the types of Unit Trust. But according to MFPC, the types of Unit Trust can be divided into four, namely

Equity Fund
Equity Fund primarily invests in equities or shares of listed companies, both locally or overseas, or both.

Balanced Fund
Balanced Fund invests in a range of asset classes with an objective to diversify risks. It may invest in a combination of cash, equity, fixed income and property, both locally and overseas.

Islamic Fund
Islamic Fund invests in a portfolio that complies with Syariah principles.

Specialty Fund
Specialty Fund may invests in a single industry, specific geographical area or particular class of investments. Examples of these funds are Public Far East Consumer Theme Fund (single industry), Public China Select Fund (specific geographical area), and Public China Titan Fund (particular class).

PIDF, PFEBF and PIADF: Declaration of Distribution

For the Financial Year ending 30 April 2008, Public Mutual will be declaring Distribution to unit holders of Public Islamic Dividend Fund (PIDF), Public Far-East Balanced Fund (PFEBF)and Public Islamic Asia Dividend Fund (PIADF).

For PIDF, the Gross Distribution is 2.00 sen per unit. The Fund's Objective and Policy is to provide income by investing in a portfolio of stocks that complies with Shariah requirements and which offer or have the potential to offer attractive dividend yields.

For PFEBF, the Gross Distribution is 1.75 sen per unit. The Fund's Objective and Policy is to provide income and capital growth over the medium to long-term period.

For PIADF, the Gross Distribution is 0.40 sen per unit. The Fund's Objective and Policy is to provide income by investing in a portfolio of stocks in domestic and regional markets that complies with Shariah requirements and which offer or have the potential to offer attractive dividend yields.