Participant Experiences
What participants
say about the work.
These are accounts from adults who have completed one or more Panthalas programmes. Names and locations are included with permission.
Back to Home340+
Programmes completed
4.9
Average participant rating
7+
Years in practice
94%
Return or refer others
Testimonials
In their own words
Nurul Rahayu
Kuala Lumpur · Reading Statements Programme
I had been getting four or five statements a month for years and, honestly, I just filed them away without looking. After the first session I understood something I had been ignoring for a long time — a recurring charge I did not recognise. That alone made the whole programme worthwhile.
March 2025
Thivyaa Krishnasamy
George Town, Penang · Household Shelf Engagement
My husband and I had documents everywhere — old insurance policies in a drawer, EPF statements we had never opened, a PRS statement we were not sure how to read. Three months later, everything is in one place and we both know what it contains. The printed guide at the end was genuinely useful.
February 2025
Zulaikha Ahmad
Butterworth, Penang · Saving Pool Programme
I had heard about saving pools before but never knew how to size them sensibly. The first session was straightforward — we sat with my actual figures and worked out what I actually spend each year on road tax, medical, and similar things. The second session a month later was helpful because I had already tried the method and had a question about one of the pools.
January 2025
Soon Chee Keong
Ipoh, Perak · Reading Statements Programme (video)
I joined over video from Ipoh and found it worked well. The facilitator was patient and did not rush through anything. I had been meaning to understand my credit card statement properly for years — the section on how interest is calculated was something I had misread for a long time, and now I have it correct.
March 2025
Faridah Hamzah
George Town, Penang · Household Shelf Engagement
The three-month structure suited us well. I was a little concerned that it might feel like homework, but the meetings were well-spaced and the tasks between them were manageable. The fact that there is no product advice made it easier to trust — the facilitator was not trying to sell us anything.
February 2025
Rajendran Yogeswaran
Penang · Saving Pool Programme
I came in expecting it to be complicated. It was actually quite simple once someone went through it with me using my own numbers. I now put aside a small amount each month for things that used to catch me off guard — road tax in particular. It sounds basic, but having someone confirm the method and check the maths made it stick.
April 2025
Programme Outcomes
Three participant journeys
Case Study · Reading Monthly Statements Programme
The situation
A secondary school teacher in Penang receiving statements from two savings accounts, one credit card, and two e-wallets each month. She described herself as "not bad with money but never sure what the statements are actually telling me." She had noticed that her credit card statement seemed different each month despite similar spending.
What the programme covered
The four sessions walked through the structure of each of her statements in turn. A significant part of the second session addressed how credit card interest is calculated and why the minimum payment figure varies. By the third session, she had identified a standing charge she could not account for and a small reconciliation gap in her e-wallet records.
Where she finished
At the close of the programme, she had a printed monthly-review sheet structured around her own accounts. She resolved the unrecognised charge and confirmed the e-wallet discrepancy. She described the final session as "the first time I actually understood what my credit card statement was saying."
Case Study · Household Shelf Engagement
The situation
A couple in their mid-forties in Penang, both employed, one self-employed part-time. They had purchased a property, held several insurance policies, and both maintained EPF accounts alongside a PRS account opened some years earlier. Neither was confident that they had a complete view of their financial position.
What the engagement covered
Over four meetings, they built a shelf that covered their banking relationships, e-wallets, EPF and PRS positions, property documentation, vehicle records, insurance policies (they found two policies they had assumed lapsed but were still active), and a clear summary of outstanding obligations. Practice tasks between meetings were manageable and built on each other.
Where they finished
The engagement closed with a printed household guide describing their shelf in plain English. Both were involved in every meeting. They noted that having everything in one place reduced a background anxiety they had not previously named. A simple annual review routine was established in the final meeting.
Case Study · Small Saving Pool Programme
The situation
A logistics coordinator based in Butterworth who wanted to stop being caught out by annual road tax and vehicle insurance costs. He had tried saving for these before but the amounts always felt uncertain. He also wanted to put aside something for a modest family contribution at Hari Raya each year.
What the programme covered
The first session reviewed three years of his vehicle-related costs and identified the actual annual range. A pool was sized for road tax and insurance combined, and a separate smaller pool was sized for the family contribution. The method used his existing savings account — no new accounts were required.
Where he finished
The second session confirmed the method was working. He had already set aside the first month's contribution and found it straightforward. One pool was adjusted slightly. He said the main value was having a number confirmed by someone looking at his actual records rather than guessing.
Credentials
Professional context
Member, Financial Education Network Malaysia
Professional membership since 2021
Penang Small Business Recognition, Service Category
George Town · March 2024
Partner Practitioner, Penang Consumer Education Forum
Annual participation since 2022
Contact Panthalas
Teluk Heritage Court, 11050 George Town, Penang
Sat: 9:00 am – 1:00 pm
A brief conversation is a reasonable place to begin
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