If you plan to invest into Public Mutual’s unit trust fund, I would like to recommend you to do so via EPF. The reason is because the sales charges when one invest unit trust via EPF is only 3% (The sales charges for investment via cash is 5.5-6%!). But, the catch is no all the fund you can via if you choose to invest from EPF.
Here are the only public mutual funds you are allowed to invest via EPF: Public Aggressive Growth Fund, Public Balanced Fund, Public Dividend Select Fund, Public Equity Fund, Public Focus Select Fund, Public Growth Fund, Public Index Fund, Public Industry Fund, Public Islamic Dividend Fund, Public Islamic Equity Fund, Public Islamic Income Fund, Public Islamic Money Market Fund, Public Islamic Optimal Growth Fund, Public Islamic Select Treasures Fund, Public Ittikal Fund, Public Regular Savings Fund, Public Savings Fund, Public Sector Select Fund, Public Select Bond Fund.
Next, what fund should I invest then? I also did a quick research for all above’s fund performance for the past one year and I also look into their rating from Lipper and MorningStars. At the end, my recommendation will be (not in any sequence): Public Dividend Select Fund, Public Focus Select Fund, Public Growth Fund, Public Islamic Dividend Fund, Public Islamic Equity Fund, Public Islamic Optimal Growth Fund, Public Islamic Select Treasures Fund, Public Regular Savings Fund
But before you make any decision to invest, it is wise for you to gain more other basic investment knowledge, do more ‘homework’ and to have asset allocation plan ahead and etc. Investment into unit trust need years to see the result. This is also because the high sales charges “invested” right in the beginning. If you want some quick bucks, unit trust investment is not for you. By the way, I am not an expert in this area nor a unit trust agent, still much to learn. I would say, my agent has recommended me good fund many years ago and because of that, it helps me to kind of gets me interested into this. And a little ‘luck’ also helps me too in during certain investment decisions. Happy investing!