ASW 2020 Dividen is 6.50 Sen Per Unit for Year 2011

KUALA LUMPUR - Amanah Saham Nasional Berhad (ASNB), a wholly owned subsidiary of Permodalan Nasional Berhad (PNB), today announced an income distibution of 6.50 sen per unit for Amanah Saham Wawasan 2020 (ASW 2020) for the financial year ended 31 August 2011.

This is an increase of 0.15 sen per unit compared with the income distribution of 6.35 sen per unit last year.

The income distribution will involve a total payment of RM909.05 million, an increase of 17.72% compared with the previous year's total payment of RM772.19 million.

It will benefit 906,340 unit holders which currently hold 13.94 billion units of ASW 2020.

Up until 15 August 2011, ASW 2020 has recorded a gross income of RM1,158.16 million. Profit from the sale of shares contributed RM526.07 million or 45.42%; dividend income from investee companies contributed RM442.82 million or 38.24%, and RM189.27 million or 16.34 % is derived from investment in short term instruments and other income.

PNB Chairman, Tun Ahmad Sarji Abdul Hamid said throughout the ASW 2020 financial year up to July 2011, the local bourse had performed commendably following a stream of positive announcements of the main economic data both locally and globally.

The FTSE Bursa Malaysia Index (FBM KLCI) recorded a gain of 5.43%, from 1,422.49 points recorded on 30 August, 2010, to 1,499.74 points recorded on 15 August 2011. During the same period, the lowest level recorded by the KLCI was 1,431.96 points on 1 September, 2010 and the highest was 1,594.74 points on 8 July 2011.

"However, the local bourse took a beating since mid August 2011, following the crash in Wall Street triggered by the Standard & Poor's downgrade of US's credit rating from AAA to AA+,"

"The performance of the world's economy and stock market are expected to be challenging with this latest development," he said during a press conference to announce the ASW 2020 income distribution here, today.

The calculation of income distribution this year will be based on the average monthly minimum balance held throughout the financial year of ASW 2020, beginning 1 September 2010 to 31 August 2011.

The income distribution will be automatically credited into the unit holders' accounts on 1 September 2011. All transactions for ASW 2020 will be suspended from 25 August 2011 to 1 September 2011 to facilitate the calculation of income distribution.

Unit holders will be able to update their accounts at ASNB head office; ASNB branch offices or ASNB agents beginning 2 September 2011.

Investors who participated in ASW 2020 through the Employees Provident Fund (EPF) Members' Investment Scheme will have their income distribution credited directly into their respective EPF accounts.

ASW 2020 unit holders will receive their income distribution statement together with the fund's annual report beginning mid October 2011.

ASW 2020 is an all-Malaysian fixed price equity fund in which 51% of its size is open for Bumiputera investors while 49% is open for non-Bumiputera investors aged 6 months and above. It is also listed in the Employees Provident Fund Members' Investment Scheme.