theSun | TUESDAY NOVEMBER 4 2008
media & marketing
Man to share RM500,000 win
with 18 family members
by Angela Sargunan
newsdesk@thesundaily.com
IT was a thrilling experience for
businessman Koon Woh, 47, who
walked away with half a million
ringgit on Saturday in the grand
final of the MBF Cards ‘Got 5, Get
RM500,000’ campaign.
The father of four from Sri
Petaling jumped with joy when
he was announced the winner
after he completed a number of
challenges.
“I’m very happy and have
decided to split my winnings with
the rest of my family members,
18 members in total, who also
participated in the campaign but
did not manage to make it to the
finals,” said the faithful user of
MBF Cards since 2000.
The close-knit family man
said he will give all 18 family
members about RM26,000 each
and as for his own share, he
might place it in a fixed deposit
account.
“Since the economic
environment is not very
stable, it’s wise to have extra
cash in hand and not splurge
unnecessarily,” said Koon
Woh, adding that it has been
surely rewarding to be a MBF
cardmember all these years.
The six-month nationwide
campaign, which ran from April
till September, was part of MBF
Card’s on-going drive to reward
its cardholders.
In the finals, 125 shortlisted
finalists participated in a series
of fun challenges that tested their
skills and wit in four elimination
rounds.
The first round had 75 finalists
eliminated after being given
RM1,000 each while 45 other
finalists in the second round
walked away with consolation
prizes of RM1,500 each.
The final five hopefuls had
to compete in two back-to-
back rounds to determine the
RM500,000 winner and the
remaining four finalists received
RM5,000 each.
Cardmembers were also
awarded with attractive daily
prizes, with over 35,000 cash
prizes totalling about RM2.5
million.
Each week, five finalists
were chosen for the final event,
resulting in the 125 finalists on
Saturday.
“The Got 5 campaign was
intended to be simple and easy.
Cardmembers who obtained
the number ‘5’ on a credit card
transaction slip, and the first 205
17
M’sians optimistic
about economy:
Research agency
MALAYSIANS have a more of Malaysians said they are
optimistic outlook pertaining worried about the economic
to the state of the economy situation but they can’t stop
compared with bigger markets, spending all together – the
according to a survey by Syno- highest out of the nine coun-
vate, a global market research tries surveyed. Malaysians
agency. are generally optimistic and
Around 45% of Malaysians philosophical,” he said.
think that the state of the econ- He also revealed that over
omy is weak but half (58%) of Malay-
believe that it will sians have made
soon improve, said cuts in their spend-
Synovate Malaysia ing habits.
managing director When asked
Steve Murphy on if they had made
Thursday. changes in their
The survey monetary habits
explored consum- in the last six
ers’ attitudes and months, Murphy
perception in said Malaysians
spending habits were saving less
and the economy. (36%) and invest-
It involved a ing less (25%) as
sample size of well as generally
6,500 respondents spending less on
aged between 15 basic necessities
and 64 across all Murphy presenting the and in particular
Koon Woh income levels from findings of the survey. luxury items.
leaps for
nine countries, “We found that
joy after namely Malaysia, Malaysians were
cardmembers to register were
winning Brazil, France, Taiwan, Turkey, not the only ones to cut back
instantly rewarded with RM50,
RM500,000 South Africa, Russia, Japan and as respondents from countries
explained MBF Cards (M’sia) Sdn
Bhd president John Ding. in the Got 5 the United States. like Japan, Taiwan and the Phil-
“We received overwhelming contest. From Malaysia, 1,000 inter- ippines also shared the same
response to this campaign, viewees involved in the survey sentiments,” Murphy added.
given that the possibility of were from the urban areas. He said Malaysians are
walking away with half a million “Malaysians definitely have paying more attention to food
ringgit was made relatively a more positive outlook on the prices with a majority acknowl-
uncomplicated,” he said. economy when compared with edging that they are now more
“This has been the style of other markets. likely to check the price of their
all MBF Cards campaigns and “For instance, close to two- food items and make price
this one in particular was a thirds of respondents in the US comparisons with other food-
significant milestone for MBF (63%), Japan (63%) and France related products before making
Cards with the biggest cash (64%) believed that their econ- a purchase.
payout to one individual.
omy is going downhill and will The survey also showed that
“We will continue to bring
fresh and fuss-free ideas get worse before it gets better consumers have or will sacrifice
that reflect our philosophy compared to only 22% of Malay- spending on leisure travel (18%),
of enriching lives through sians,” said Murphy, adding that followed by branded items (13%)
practical innovations to our the majority of the respondents as well as eating out (12%), and
cardmembers,” he added. are from the younger generation spending on luxury items such
For more information, visit aged 15 to 24. as plasma TV (12%). – Angela
www.mbfxtremedeals.com. “Despite everything, 53% Sargunan