Hi guys, so I want to do some crowd source brainstorming.

I want to keep my 6 months emergency money somewhere. It has to be:
1)Easily accessible. Obviously because it's emergency fund.
2)I want it to return as high as possible interest.
3)must be relatively safe.

Right now here's what I can think of:
1)Savings account: Most liquid, but absolutely crap returns. If possible I don't want to put it there.
2)Put money in full flexi housing loan (if you have it).
3)Put in money market fund.
4)Put in tngo go+. But this one max limit is 20k, so hard to keep your 6 months emergency money there.

I appreciate if you guys can help give better recommendations. Especially if there are other funds or companies giving low risk, highly liquid stores of cash.

This post has been edited by thelws: Nov 7 2022, 09:44 AM

5) FD auto renew every 1-2 months. It's way more liquid then 2 3 4, and slightly higher interest than 1.

But ah if you are serious about using it as emergency fund, return/interest rate should not be your factor. It's liquidity, liquidity, liqduity. All money market funds should be eliminated outright.

KDI Save offering 3.5% till end of this year. 20k still within the limit of this bonus interest.

Versa we're still testing.. they're offering 4% till January 31st 2023 but we afraid there's a low cap on giving out that bonus interest.

Can visit both threads to read more, or visit their website.

They are MMF funds investing in other FDs, and no lock up. Can withdraw anytime. Fast deposit and withdrawal also.

Risk here is there's no PIDM coverage in case anything happens. But KDI is under Kenanga, a big public listed investment bank operating many years already. Versa is investing in Affin Hwang fund, a well known bank.

This post has been edited by Davidtcf: Nov 7 2022, 10:07 AM

but this one hor... what if I need all 6 months of my emergency fund at once? Then cannot right? I believe this one is good if you only need to take out 1 or 2 months emergency at a time.

Split your FD into multiple certificates. Each one 1k MYR for example. Then if you only need 1 month, you can still keep the rest "deposited".

If you need all 6 months worth of funds at once, uplift all certificates at once.

This post has been edited by TOS: Nov 7 2022, 10:11 AM

Just place eFD with your current bank with 1 month auto renewal. Place the funds in 1-week interval. Hence you will not lose much interest when you need to use the funds.

u can look out for better FD rates... i got to park in RHB for 3.6% pa for 12 months...
FD is a good choice...
like the other forumer said, split them up so u do not uplift it all at once...

want to have best liquidity and safety. The answer would be fd only.
Myabe u can practice fd cycling eg 15k spilt to 5k and place 3 placement differ by each month. so when u need to withdraw only 5k u can just select the one with least forfeited interest. if there is more cash can try 6 placement 6 month cycling or 12placement 12 months cycling for more board interest
But the sweet spot would be 3 or 6months cuz if going for 1 years can get some promotional rate

This post has been edited by akhito: Nov 7 2022, 11:00 AM

that is the tng wallet size, without interest
go+ max RM 9.5k++ only

Maybank 1 month min RM 5000, 2+ mo min RM 1000. So can do 2/3 months auto renewal for minimum loss when uplifting.

1. High interest savings account like OCBC 360.
2. KDI but you can't get your money out on weekends.

Bank Mualamat 4% 3mths FD is probably best short term now. No limit also unlike KDI or Versa. (Maybe got limit lah, a few million perhaps, i dunno ).

This post has been edited by CommodoreAmiga: Nov 7 2022, 01:53 PM

BSN SSP.

instant liquidity but not very safe - eFD

2-3 days liquidity but very safe - money market

dont understand you guys.....KDi liquidity not good enough?
Same day WD can get money by evening, go ATm take cash lo for small amount
Big online transfer.
Interest paid daily
WD the money no clawback what you have earned.


FD can be better meh??,
Sat Sun PH also cannot get money what.
When you do WD all interest earn lost
keep in Milo tin better

How urgent is urgent money required ?
Need the money means must have it now right away in your hand?
Never happen so far......

Then keep in Milo tin lo.

For me any time KDi, i keep few hundreds k there ,
FD lousy sekali prem WD interest clawback
what for?

the main difference here is FD is guaranteed return.

right now kdi say they guarantee 4% (if I'm not wrong)
but my gut tells me that this is going to change in the future.
because investment can never guarantee.
no fund manager will dare to guarantee money one.
and as far as I know kdi didn't disclose where they invest the money. People speculate it's a mix of money market and slightly riskier asset. So means there's a chance your portfolio can lose money.

No single answer is right. All got positive and negative. Just see which one you want only.

You have not done enough research
U want liquidity u go kdi
U want guaranteed return in fd you cannot withdraw emergency
U takut money lost u keep in milo tin
Nothing is guaranteed
You worry too much you cannot do anything

no need so triggered.

just asking what other options available.

Don’t bother him 🤦‍♀️

KDI is treasury MMF hence you’re right with the riskier assets which should be either bonds or govt treasury bills

But I suspect they are investing at least half of the returns in mixed MGS and 6 months TBills

Let's say you need RM 10000 now for whatever erason, your saving acc cannot meet the need.

You go to KDI website, can you withdraw it in cash within 1 hour?

Or you go to banking sites, you can uplift FD and withdraw from ATM within 1 hour, just lose a little bit of interest for that amount you withdraw.

Don't drink the kool-aid of MMF providers telling you they are more liquid than FD, they aren't. They are terrible places to park EMERGENCY funds.

Short term FDs are great way to park emergency funds that yield slightly higher interest.

Kenanga should issue debit cards linked to their underlying MMFs, accessible from any ATMs 24/7. That would be a game-changer.

Alas, Kenanga is an investment bank, not a commercial bank...

Anyway, we need to see how urgent the "emergency" is. If it's immediate and needed within hours, nothing can beat traditional commercial banks. But if withint a week or a few days, still have some more options to consider.

By the way, not sure if you can uplift FD during weekends for "immediate" emergency? Haven't tried that before. I found that CIMB's eFD is not available between 12 am to 6 am daily. https://www.cimb.com.my/en/personal/help-su...e-24-hours.html

I "researched" KDI page and can only confirm the funds will be reflected in your bank account within 1 – 2 working days. So surely withdrawal on weekends won't work if there is urgent need on Saturday/Sunday.

This post has been edited by TOS: Nov 8 2022, 12:07 AM

6 months emergency funds means it's meant to be your emergency stash in case you lost income and need enough to keep you afloat for 6 months, right... so there isn't a rush to snap your fingers and expect it to be available immediately or within hours, I hope?

For everyone who say FD isn't liquid or waiting a few days is too much.. tbh you can cash out your FD anytime, instantly, and if it's a true emergency then nobody really cares about the interest, I hope! Others have advised how to minimize FD damage in emergencies.

I keep a full flexi loan for when I need instant funds I can withdraw large sums within minutes. Then other slower funds replenishes it not long after.

Maybe it helps to differentiate investment goals/returns vs. expectation on liquidity vs. practical emergency uses. Even large sums of physical cash can't be raised so quickly in normal circumstances (where the emergency is a kidnapping etc.)

Urgent till like that, need cash in 1hour? ada example kah?
how frequent it happens?

FD also no use la like that.

only way is keep cash at home, 24hrs available 7 days a week

if FD cant Wd online , 76% time die standing!!
becos bank opens **5 days a week, only 8 hrs out of 24.

say 50% people can Wd FD online till only 12 am
still 63% will die standing when faced with that need for urgent cash..

A solution with more than 50% chance to fail
if it works means the problem itself is imagination,
mathematically speaking la.

parking emergency my choice is KDi
FD if meant to be FIXED D,not for simply WD.

** i lupa masuk PH, if masuk lagi banyak die standing!

above is a simplistic calculation only

in real life your failure rate would be higher because
1)Non working machines , locked after 12 am etc
2) ATM limit no cash etc



This post has been edited by guy3288: Nov 8 2022, 01:06 AM

Credit card with rm50k limit should be enough.

Nabeh TS said its emergency, this kenanga fanboy still ask “how often does that happen”, if it happens frequently it wouldn’t be called emergency fund wouldn’t it?

Yeah FD cannot really be withdrawn during wee hours but that’s it, or combine Ramjade’s cc limit idea for cash advance, then withdraw FD ASAP during the day and pay the cash advance off. Cash advance interest is charged daily from the day its withdrawn, not past statement due date.

i am no KDi fan la, only a practical guy who live enough to not simply buy what others said
especially when it does not sound right

I showed you the proof already. 76% time cant get the money even ada FD
so FD is not the solution!

I am not sure what banks do you use that don't allow you to uplift FD online... you need to provide more solid proofs than a mere allegation.

For example, Maybank2u allows FD transactions everyday except like 10PM-6AM everyday incl public holidays. Source on Maybank website?

don't bother arguing with him. he has a very narrow vision. let him have the final say.

We are practical people dont talk theory, we talk real life situations

Even if all FDs can uplift online, banking time is not 24 hours- far from it, not 7 days a week,
ATM not always available etc etc..that day i went to BI ATM, notice there after 12 am closed, open 6AM!

you must be dreaming if you think most people who has emergency like that can their FD money in time

on paper already more than 50% will fail to get their money in time,
In real life chances of failure would be even higher as you have to run around like a headless chicken!

asking for proof of FD that cant uplift online? you wanna tell me you dont know?
give you the benefit of doubt, all the recent Fds i placed semua tak boleh uplift online
Bank Rakyat, Citibank, Bank Islam, Muamalat bank and more



dont be blinded by emotion, go read my calculation of the probability that FD will fail to save you
in dire emergency like that. Dont just yeah here yeah there only!

This is interesting. Your FDs are placed OTC I presume?

And the banks you place your FDs with are not typical large Malaysia banks. Surely the smaller players will give you higher rates at the expense of some conveniences/lack of options, apart from compensation of counterparty risk.

well...Maybank allowed
last Sunday, just uplifted efd to savings due to auto renewal
but yeah, definitely need to account for system maintenance time

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for once, i thought go+ is as liquid as savings account because of tng wallet duitnow/payment to merchant, etc
until one day the system was down for quite long
pretty sure that happens to commercial bank online banking too...
put your eggs in different basket?

just need to remember tng is not a bank so it is not held in the same standards as a bank.

if their IT department down, they don't feel it like a bank. which is why I never liked leaving too much money in tngo. I'll leave just enough for my purchases which usually comes up to max 1k-ish.

I am surprised you dont know KDi withdrawal you get money same day
thats why info direct from the ground is better than what you can read .

Friday withdraw b4 11am you get money in bank by 9-10.30pm
Deposit also same day get paid interest, mana ada tunggu 1-2 days


solid proof from new FD today. Cannot Wd online come 8.2.2023 must go to bank

not just me, if you go read FD thread you would see many saying
oh this one must go OTC


Attached thumbnail(s)

Mostly he chasing the promo FD OTC which is why his calculation of failure % to included in his scenario 🤦‍♀️

You blurr as usual dead wrong
Why i calculate failure for my self when already told u i dont use FD as emergency fund.

Cakap pikir dulu la
Fact is not as easy as you think can urgently get cash in 1hr from FD, reasons all stated above...pi baca lah

i cant think of any other platform that can be so beneficial
for people who wants to park emergency money.

put money in, even 1 day also KDI pay you interest (3.5%)
FD 3.5% kena ikat how long?

Need money just click , tonight money in bank

see how convenient it is?

money like that can put in FD as emergency? can also.
end of the of the month dapat apa ? ZERO.

KDI is like my pocket and it pays (interest) daily!

KDI fan or not is irrelevant a long as it is useful i support


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FSMOne platform?

Multi-Currency Cash Account at 1.85p.a interest rate
-Easy currency conversion from our real-time FX rates
-Earn interest on your cash account balance
-No fees and no minimum balance required
-Easy withdrawal without hassle

Cash Management Fund (is a money market fund) at 2.574% p.a.
-Higher interest rate than a savings account
-Parking facility
-No delay in buying unit trusts on our platform
-Zero sales charge
-Low minimum initial investment and subsequent amount
-Liquidity and no lock-in period

I treat KDI save as my secondary emergency fund while it earns some interest too

Since Im young and I stay with parents like a charsiew, i dont forsee any emergency which I urgently need money in 1 or 2 days

Not just you, i can hardly think of any situation that needs money so urgently like that.
sendirri kasi takut sendiri saja.

Even Ah Long also will agree if you say bank open i pay you straight.

why not very safe? is it suddenly bank system error and showed all RM 0 one day?

oh no...i put all in efD as I lazy to make the FD cert anymore OTC.

already so many case on FD issues be it online or paper... if it can happen to others, it also has some chance that may happen to you too

people does mistake time to time, being not checking the website is correct or not, not ensure that the name is on the paper FD, using unknown apps that has spyware inside etc etc, hey, it can happen to you too

how safe is secure tac? secure sign? digital token?

with funds in money market, hackers requires much more steps and not to mention it take days to liquidfy your money

This post has been edited by square2: Nov 12 2022, 12:24 PM

FD so dangerous not so safe, MMF safer you guys better move to MMF ha ha.

This post has been edited by guy3288: Nov 12 2022, 05:56 PM

don't twist my word la

i said not very safe only, i didn't say it is dangerous to put money in FD

in terms of security (FD 95% safe, MMF 98-99% safe), still have some risk to happen like MMF trustee goes bankrupt etc etc

i dont mean to twist, sorry bro, edited already , is that correct now?
just wanna emphasise what you want to say boleh?

Probably KDI.. They just boost their rates from 3% to 3.5%, pretty good deal as their rates is considered high & they're low risk investment, it's better to start from low risk investment especially if you;re beginners bcs if you straightaway go for high risk investment, you might suffered losses.

Couldn't agree more, it's better to play safe + unlike other investment, kdi doesn't have lock in period, you can withdraw & place your funds anytime u want. I've tried withdraw once, it took less than 24 hours

Hmm if I were you, I would invest KDI as they met the critetias you mentioned. They're 24/7 accesible, can take out your funds anytime & regulated by Securities Commision Malaysia.

Let's say i have overpaid credit in the credit card and withdraw it with cash advance, will i be charged the daily interest ?

This is a Singapore UOB Privilege account promotion … not a bad option for short term parking of emergency funds.

Edited - I agree with Ramjade and I have deleted the reference

This post has been edited by hksgmy: Dec 17 2023, 08:26 AM

Bro please don't flex. Not everyone got sg bank acocunt. What more priority banking account. Think of people on the street. That's why my style of writing have always been for people on the street.

A bterr suggestion would be tiger money market account.

Thanks for the reminder bro, I’ve edited my entry. My apologies. Sometime my enthusiasm gets the better of me.

This post has been edited by hksgmy: Dec 17 2023, 08:27 AM

still going strong now... at 4%

but i see it's not protected under PIDM

This post has been edited by gashout: Jul 2 2024, 12:37 PM