5.50 SEN PER UNIT OF INCOME DISTRIBUTION FOR ASN
December 24, 2008

KUALA LUMPUR – Amanah Saham Nasional Berhad (ASNB), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Permodalan Nasional Berhad (PNB) has announced an income distribution of 5.50 sen per unit for Sekim Amanah Saham Nasional (ASN) for the financial year end December 31, 2008.

The income distribution will involve a total payment of RM79.91 million which will benefit 1.2 million unit holders holding 1.4 billion units of ASN.

The income distribution payment will be re-invested into additional units of ASN, calculated based on the Net Asset Value (NAV) of ASN as at December 31, 2008, and to be automatically credited into the unit holders’ accounts.

PNB Chairman, Tun Dato’ Seri Ahmad Sarji bin Abdul Hamid in his speech said that the performance of the country’s economy and stock market was heavily influenced by the economic and market condition of the developed nation which was effected by the financial and credit crisis. Up until December 23, 2008, the Kuala Lumpur Composite Index (KLCI) has recorded a fall of 39.71 percent.

“An equity based growth fund, the net asset value of ASN has recorded a fall of 34.27 percent from RM0.9352 per unit on December 31, 2007 to RM0.6147 on December 23, 2008”.

“Based on the net asset value of ASN on December 23, 2008 of RM0.6147 per unit, the yield derived from the income distribution of 5.50 sen per unit is 9.83 percent”, he said.

Up until December 23, 2008, ASN has recorded a gross income of RM97.59 million, a fall of RM35.75 million or 26.81 percent compared with RM133.34 million recorded in the financial year 2007.

Of the amount, the profit from the sale of shares contributed RM49.57 million or 50.79 percent followed by dividend income which contributed RM38.15 million or 39.09 percent while RM9.87 million or 10.12 percent is derived from short term investment instruments.

ASN is a variable priced growth fund with the objective of generating reasonable level of distribution income and capital appreciation to the unit holders through a diversified portfolio of investments.

All transactions for ASN at the ASNB offices and agents will be suspended beginning December 24, 2008 to January 1, 2009 to facilitate the calculation of income distribution.

Unit holders will be able to update their accounts beginning January 2, 2009. The income distribution statement and annual report will be sent towards the end of February, 2009.