Three programmes, three entry points
Each programme has a specific scope and a particular kind of participant in mind. They can be taken in sequence or independently, depending on where you are and what you want to understand.
Back to HomeHow the Programmes Are Structured
Each programme follows a sequenced curriculum where later sessions build on earlier ones. The content does not assume prior financial knowledge, but it does assume that participants are ready to engage with their own numbers — household figures, EPF balances, insurance policies, or fund statements — rather than work from hypothetical examples.
Group sessions are kept small so that participants can ask questions specific to their own situation without the conversation being steered away from them. In the Whole-Picture Retirement Programme, all sessions are one-to-one, which means the content can be shaped around the participant's actual circumstances from the first session.
Materials are written in plain language. Technical terms are explained where they are necessary and avoided where they are not. The aim is that a participant who did not enjoy mathematics at school, or who has simply never dealt with investment documents before, can follow the content without difficulty.
Sequenced Content
Each session builds on the previous one, at a pace that allows reflection between meetings.
Malaysia-Specific
All examples, instruments, and regulatory references are drawn from the Malaysian context.
Written Materials
Participants receive printed and digital materials to keep and refer to after the programme ends.
The Pattern of Household Money
Four weeks · Small group · RM 590
A four-week introductory course that helps participants see the recurring pattern of their own household money — the predictable inflows, the standing commitments, the seasonal expenses, and the small leaks that go unnoticed. Each session ends with a short charting exercise. Conducted in small group format with one facilitator. Suited for those attending to household finances in a structured way for the first time.
What the four weeks cover
- Mapping income patterns — regular, seasonal, and irregular inflows
- Identifying standing commitments and their true monthly cost
- Spotting and categorising spending leaks
- Producing a simple household financial picture to carry forward
Session steps
- 1 Inflows — mapping what comes in and when
- 2 Commitments — what leaves regularly whether you notice or not
- 3 Variable and seasonal spending — the costs that vary month to month
- 4 The whole picture — putting it together and reading it clearly
Programme fee
RM 590
All materials included · No additional charges
Considered Investing Foundations
Nine weeks · Group up to 15 · RM 2,140
A nine-week investment foundations programme for those approaching investing carefully for the first time at this stage of life. Includes asset class fundamentals, ringgit and foreign-currency holdings, the function of EPF as a portfolio anchor, the role of unit trusts and ETFs available locally, and the reading of fund cost disclosures. Short reading and reflection per module. Class size capped at fifteen.
Core topics
- Asset classes — what they are, how they behave, how they fit together
- EPF as a portfolio anchor — how to read your statement and understand its role
- Unit trusts and locally-listed ETFs available to Malaysian investors
- Reading fund cost disclosures — what the numbers mean and what to compare
- Ringgit-denominated and foreign-currency holdings
Programme structure
- 1–3 Foundations — asset classes, risk, and return in plain terms
- 4–5 EPF — structure, contribution rates, and withdrawal rules
- 6–7 Unit trusts and ETFs — how to find, compare, and read them
- 8–9 Bringing it together — building a picture of your holdings
Programme fee
RM 2,140
All materials included · Class capped at 15
Whole-Picture Retirement Programme
Six months · One-to-one mentorship · RM 2,790
A six-month mentor-led engagement that takes the full picture of a retirement plan as its subject — EPF strategy, supplementary savings, insurance review, healthcare cost provisioning, family financial commitments, and the considered sequence of retirement withdrawals over a long horizon. Includes monthly private sessions, midway review, and a written closing summary.
Areas covered
- EPF withdrawal strategy and timing
- Supplementary savings — PRS, fixed deposits, unit trusts
- Insurance review — coverage adequacy and cost in retirement
- Healthcare cost provisioning over a long retirement
- Family financial commitments — children's education, ageing parents
- Withdrawal sequencing — which accounts to draw from and in what order
Six-month engagement
- M1 Taking stock — EPF, savings, insurance, and current position
- M2 Income in retirement — sources, certainty, and gaps
- M3 Midway review — reassessing and adjusting the plan
- M4 Healthcare and insurance — costs over time
- M5 Family commitments and estate considerations
- M6 Closing summary — written document and final session
Programme fee
RM 2,790
All sessions, materials, and written summary included
Choosing the Right Starting Point
If you are uncertain which programme fits your situation, this comparison may help. The programmes can be taken in sequence or independently.
| Household Money | Investing Foundations | Retirement Programme | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best for | First-time household review | First-time investor, 40+ | Full retirement planning |
| Duration | 4 weeks | 9 weeks | 6 months |
| Format | Small group | Group (max 15) | One-to-one |
| EPF coverage | — | In depth | |
| Investing content | — | ||
| Insurance review | — | — | |
| Written closing summary | — | — | |
| Fee | RM 590 | RM 2,140 | RM 2,790 |
What Every Programme Maintains
Participant Confidentiality
Financial details shared in sessions are held in strict confidence and never discussed outside the immediate learning context.
Annual Content Review
All programme content is reviewed each year against current Malaysian financial regulations and EPF policy changes.
No Product Sales
No financial products are sold in or alongside these programmes. Cendekia Mekar receives no referral fees from any financial institution.
Qualified Facilitators
All facilitators hold recognised qualifications in personal finance education or adult learning, with direct practice experience.
Post-Programme Feedback
Participants complete a confidential feedback form after each programme. Results inform the next curriculum review cycle.
Transparent Fees
All fees are stated in full before enrolment. No add-ons, upsells, or costs that emerge after payment has been made.
Programme Fees
PROGRAMME ONE
Household Money
RM 590
One-time · 4 weeks
- 4 facilitated group sessions
- Charting exercises each week
- Printed and digital materials
PROGRAMME TWO
Investing Foundations
RM 2,140
One-time · 9 weeks
- 9 facilitated group sessions
- Class capped at 15 participants
- Reading and reflection materials
- Fund disclosure literacy module
PROGRAMME THREE
Retirement Programme
RM 2,790
One-time · 6 months
- 6 monthly one-to-one sessions
- Midway review session
- Written closing summary
- Full EPF and insurance review
Have a question about any of the programmes?
Send an enquiry and a member of the team will reply within two working days.
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