The record-high dividends announced by the Employees' Provident Fund (EPF) were due to good investments, Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak says.
"Alhamdulillah, as a result of good management and good investments, the EPF today announced a dividend of 6.9 percent for conventional savings and 6.4 percent for syariah savings," Najib said on Twitter this evening.
Najib added that the dividends can help Malaysians with their savings for the future.
The dividends announced today were the highest in 21 years, and a 1.2 percent increase for conventional savings compared to the 2016 dividends.
Just five months earlier last September, Najib had come under heavy criticism after telling US President Donald Trump that the EPF would increase its US investments by between US$3 billion and US$4 billion "to support (US) infrastructure redevelopment."
Alhamdulillah hasil pengurusan dan pelaburan baik, hari ini KWSP isytihar kadar dividen 6.90 peratus bagi Simpanan Konvensional dan 6.40 peratus bagi Simpanan Shariah.
— Mohd Najib Tun Razak (@NajibRazak) February 10, 2018
Agihan dividen dan pendapatan pelaburan kasar tahun ini lebih tinggi daripada tahun lalu. Syabas pasukan KWSP!
The EPF had stated that its investments were made with due process, while Second Finance Minister Johari Abdul Ghani said the investments would assure greater returns.
