AMANAH SAHAM BUMIPUTERA (ASB) Dividen is 7.65 Sen Per Unit and Bonus of 1.15 Sen Per Unit for Year 2011

KUALA LUMPUR : Amanah Saham Nasional Berhad (ASNB), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Permodalan Nasional Berhad (PNB) has announced an income distribution of 7.65 sen per unit and a bonus of 1.15 sen per unit for Skim Amanah Saham Bumiputera (ASB) for the financial year ended 31 December 2011.

This income distribution is an increase of 0.15 sen per unit compared to the dividend paid out last year (2010: 7.50 sen per unit).

The income distribution portion will involve a total payout of RM7.04 billion by ASNB an increase of 21 percent compared to the RM5.82 billion paid out last year.

The bonus portion will involve a total payout of RM628.29 million by PNB.

PNB Chairman, Tun Ahmad Sarji bin Abdul Hamid said, the payment will benefit 7.3 million unit holders which currently hold more than 95.9 billion units of ASB.

Up to 15 December 2011, ASB has recorded a gross income of RM7.19 billion. Dividend income from investee companies contributed RM4.09 billion or 56.9 percent of the gross income. Meanwhile, profit from the sale of shares contributed RM2.25 billion or 31.3 percent and the rest of the income at 11.8 percent or RM0.85 billion is derived from investments in short term instruments and other investments.

The calculation of income distribution is based on the average monthly minimum balance held throughout the financial year of ASB ending 31 December 2011. The calculation of the bonus on the other hand is based on the average monthly minimum balance held by the unit holders in the past ten years, starting from 2002 up to 2011.

The income distribution and bonus will be automatically credited into the respective unit holders' accounts. Unit holders will be able to update their accounts beginning 3 January 2012.

All transactions for ASB at ASNB head office, ASNB branch offices and agents will be suspended beginning 21 December 2011 until 2 January 2012, to facilitate the calculation of income distribution and bonus.

ASB is a fixed price equity income fund, opened for Bumiputera aged 6 months and above. This fund is aimed at generating long term, consistent and competitive returns to the unit holders whilst ensuring the preservation of capital at minimal risk tolerance level.