6.6 sen payout for Amanah Saham Didik

Amanah Saham Nasional Bhd (ASNB), a wholly-owned unit of Permodalan
Nasional Bhd (PNB), today announced an income distribution of 6.6 sen
per unit for Amanah Saham Didik (ASD) for the financial year ended June
30, 2012.

ASD is a fixed price equity growth fund aimed at
providing investment opportunity which can generate long-term growth
and competitive returns to unit holders.

PNB Chairman Tun
Ahmad Sarji Abdul Hamid said the income distribution was higher than
the 6.5 sen per unit paid out in the previous corresponding year.

"The
income distribution will involve a total payment of RM279.31 million,
up 9.9 per cent compared with RM254.1 million paid last year," he told
a press conference.

The income distribution will benefit 358,222 unit holders who collectively own 4.2 billion units in the equity fund.

Ahmad
Sarji also said, via prudent investment strategies, the ASD unit trust
had generated satisfactory returns, albeit, a challenging investment
environment.

"As at June 18, ASD's gross income fund stood at
RM354.26 million, out of which dividend revenue from investments
accounted for RM228.58 million or 64.5 per cent of gross income.

Profits
from the divestment of shares in investee companies contributed RM76.03
million or 21.65 per cent while the remaining RM49.65 million accrued
from revenue obtained from long-term investment instruments and others,
he added.

"The income distribution rate is reasonable especially under current challenging times," Ahmad Sarji added.

He
also said the income distribution, calculated based on the average
monthly minimum balance held throughout the financial year of ASD,
would be automatically re-invested in the form of units and credited
into the unit holders' accounts on July 2.

All transactions for
ASD, at ASNB offices and agents, will be suspended from June 22 until
July 1 to facilitate the calculation of income distribution.

The income distribution statement and fund's annual report will be sent to unit holders beginning mid-August.

Since
its launch in 2001, ASD has always been the preferred fund for
Bumiputera investors who are interested in investing for themselves and
their children's education. -- BERNAMA