06-07-2025
Carnival strengthens financial literacy outreach in Tawau
BNM Deputy Governor Adnan Zaylani Mohamad Zahid stopping at one of the 21 exhibition booths during his walkabout at Karnival Celik Kewangan Tawau.
TAWAU (July 6): The Financial Education Network (FEN) successfully hosted its flagship Karnival Celik Kewangan (KCK) in Tawau for the first time on July 5 and 6.
The event brought together more than 6,000 visitors offering a range of engaging and practical activities designed to promote financial literacy and empower communities to better manage their finances.
The event was officiated by Adnan Zaylani Mohamad Zahid, Deputy Governor of Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) and Co-Chair of the FEN, who emphasised the growing importance of financial literacy in today's economic and digital landscape.
'With the many economic uncertainties, and the fast pace of technological change, managing one's finances is no longer a luxury – it is a necessary life skill that underpins the stability of individuals, families, and communities,' he said.
A key feature of KCK Tawau was a 24-hour financial literacy livestream on TikTok, jointly organised by mySalam, FEN, and the Malaysian Takaful Association (MTA), with a total of 3.2 million likes and 12,000 comments within 24 hours.
The livestream offered continuous, interactive content on a wide range of financial topics, reaching new
audiences and making financial education more accessible and more relatable. This initiative obtained recognition in the Malaysia Book of Records.
In line with the event's holistic approach, KCK also featured the MTA Takaful4All Fun Run, aimed at promoting not only financial health but also physical well-being. The run drew strong participation from 570 local community members, reinforcing the message that a secure future depends not just on smart money management, but also on taking care of one's health.
KCK Tawau marked the finale of a week-long financial literacy roadshow across various localities in Sabah, including Lahad Datu, Kunak, Pulau Bum Bum in Semporna and Tawau.
These engagements allow FEN to provide practical financial guidance – on budgeting, insurance and takaful, debt management and consumer protection – while also gathering valuable feedback on the unique financial challenges faced by local communities.
These insights will help shape future outreach and targeted interventions to strengthen financial resilience in the region.
The success of the KCK Tawau is a testament to the tireless efforts and collaboration of FEN members, associate members and partners. From content development to community engagement, the team demonstrated its commitment to delivering relevant, accessible, and meaningful financial education.
'KCK Tawau reflects what FEN stands for – bringing financial literacy to life in ways that are practical, inclusive and people centred. The FEN remains committed to ensuring efforts to empower the rakyat are
carried out inclusively and continuously,' added Adnan.
Established in November 2016, FEN serves as an inter-agency platform to increase the impact of financial education initiatives and identify new opportunities to elevate financial literacy among Malaysians through greater alignment, closer collaboration and a strong focus on impact assessments. Its members include the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Higher Education, Bank Negara Malaysia, Securities Commission Malaysia, Employees Provident Fund, Agensi Kaunseling dan Pengurusan Kredit, Perbadanan Insurans Deposit Malaysia and Permodalan Nasional Berhad.
