ICAEW, CFA, Redza Minhat and Spectacles

Hello guys. It has be a while since I update my blog. It has be a busy holiday. I really enjoyed myself procrastinating; playing video games, surfing Internet, scrolling social media.

I’m going to share about ICAEW(Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales) and CFA(Chartered Financial Analyst). For your information, I am not taking those courses, so there might be inaccurate and missing facts. But I tried to keep it as accurate as I can la.

I don’t know where I should start. Okay. Let we start from the holiday.

Going back early

When I was having my holiday, suddenly I became addicted with my phone. I stuck with my hand all the time, as if there was glue that keep it together. So, someone retweeted a tweet in my Timeline that there is CFA Summit in the upcoming weekend. But, since it requires me to prepare the CV if I want to have a seat at the event, I decided to not to do so. Although I kept wandering what is CFA is all about, so I just ignored the advert.

I volunteered myself to be part of the helpers during my college open day. I had to back in Shah Alam earlier, since the event was held on Saturday. Oh I don’t know why I volunteer for it, since I has option to stay at home, eat nice foods, watching television.

Maybe the fact that my phone has problem on detecting telco signal in rural areas has cause me to so. Enough with that.

‘Less’ expected moment

So on that day, I was assigned to take care of ICAEW booth. At first, I was reluctant to do so. Firstly, I am not an ICAEW student, so I know nothing to do so. I want to take care of ACCA booth, since I know about it, and I have idea about it. Or, at least, just give me la to take care of IPAC booth. Secondly, the booth was at the end of exhibition, at quite isolated. I gambled that it would not be able to attract even single visitor. Thirdly, the booth is too simple. But, the answer is no, and I have to take care of the booth.

So, I was told that there would be 2 abang from ICAEW that will assist in promoting the course later. It was Mr Andrew, a Chinese guy and Mr Aman, an old but rock-styled Malay man from ICAEW that came on that day.

Brainwash Session

In a simpler word, for the whole day, I was mentally tortured, or brainwashed, to take ICAEW in the future. At a certain point, I thought of going back in time and take ICAEW instead of ACCA. I thought that I took ACCA at first place as I only exposed about it. I made an inaccurate decision which was due to lack of information.

But I learned something on that day. Sometimes, what people are saying is not important. You should decide it by yourself. But first, in order to make a reliable and true decision, you need to know all the option available. Therefore, you need to extract and examine all information available before you can make a decision. And hey, at least I get a little information about ICAEW. If you are reading my blog, I would like to say thank you to Mr Aman and Mr Andrew. This younger generation sometimes are too lazy to search for those kind of information.

Make my CV

That night, I sat on the chair in my room. I clear my mind and I spoke to myself, that I had the opportunity to get know what CFA is about. I just need to submit the CV.

The dateline to submit the proposal was just less than an hour more. I booted my laptop, open Word, google sample of simple CV, and email the CV when it was just about 20 minutes before 12. I just hoped that the CV would be accepted, and I would be given the seat for the event.

Why this post suddenly become serious?

Email

Sunday, Monday, Tuesday has be past. No email from the organiser. Maybe luck was not at my side this time.

On Wednesday morning, or afternoon, I realised that the organiser has be replied my email, and fortunately, I got the seat for the summit. Alhamdulillah! I was (not so) quite shocked that Redza Minhat would be a moderator for the Roundtable Discussion. Wow.

For me, he is one of the role model among of Malaysia actors. He never fail in portraying the characters that he played. KIL, Kekasih Elektrik are one of those movie and drama that he has previously act. He also proves that, you can be anything you want, as long as you strive for it. He was graduated from MMU with Degree in Business, but acts and write scripts in free time. Two different separated bidang, but he managed to do that. Enough with those biography.

Spectacles

On that day, I had no transport to go to the INTEKMA. So, I asked help for my housemate’s help to send me there. He sent me there by motorcycle.

After that, I registered at the receptionist counter, and had the breakfast. When I was enjoying the nasi goreng, I felt like there was sensation of pain at my left head, and it make me uncomfortable. I thought I wore the spectacles improperly, so I put off my spectacles and wore it back so that it would fit to my head. But then, I realised, it was broken! Maybe it was broke during I put off the helmet, I guessed.

You had serve me the best duty for about 4 years. Rest in peace, Spec.

Forum

The event started about 9.15, when the MC began their welcoming speech. Then there were series of speeches, certificate award and photograph sessions. Around 11.45, there was Roundtable Discussion with the panellists, when Redza was the moderator.

Well, I hoped that I got the chance to take some pictures with him. But, he was already gone during the lunch session. I was quite disappointed. I thought of making my first vlog for it.

After the lunch session, there was talk session which I had forget what it was. Damn.

What I got from the summit? Info about CFA, CFA is hard, free food, broken spec, and networking.

ICAEW and CFA

ICAEW has higher standard in qualifications and more recognised globally. But of course, they have tougher questions. When ACCA’s questions are more to technical skills, ICAEW is more to solving the case study given. 

There are 3 level of ICAEW-Certificate (ICAEW CFAB), Professional and Advance level. Both Certificate and Professional level has about 6 papers to be taken, and 3 papers in Advance level. However, students mostly will take those papers when working.

Meanwhile, CFA is for those who are strong-hearted. Most of the students are pursuing their study by part-time. You work during weekdays, and you have to attend classes during weekend. 

You might sacrifice your leisure time during weekend with your friends, not attend your cousins’ wedding ceremony, sleep less than 4 hours a day, to catch up and study 7000 pages of learning materials.  There are also lot of complex formulas to be memorised.

There are 3 level of examination- Level 1, Level 2 and Level 3.

Level 1 Examinations consist of basic knowledge and comprehension questions focused on investment tools.

Level 2 Examinations test your analysis skills and focus on valuing the assets.

Level 3 Examinations test how you apply the standards in a portfolio management and compliance context.

Well, for ACCA students, you may pursue your study in CFA, but first you have to complete your ACCA first. CFA set the requirement that the holders should have at least 4 years working experience. Therefore, you should work first, like 1-2 years, before you start study the course.

In my opinion, CFA is a little bit different compared to ACCA. When ACCA affiliates works in tax, audit and finance sectors, CFA’s holders work in finance sectors. CFA’s syllabus is more on how to manage the funding provided in the company.

During the summit, most of the students who attended the event are pursuing in Degree in Actuarial Science. Some of them are from Finance, and Maths. But I could say, none of them that I met, are studying accountancy.

I personally might consider to take either ICAEW or CFA in the future, maybe. I don’t know, since I learned accounting and tax before, so I prefer to take ICAEW in the future. They have quite similar syllabus with ACCA. But, pursuing your career in Finance sector, is quite interesting. This sector has lots of potential and job opportunities to be filled.

This got to only happen if I have enough source of finance during that time.Heh.

For further information, you may surf those website:

ICAEW: https://www.icaew.com/

CFA: https://www.cfainstitute.org

IPAC Education: http://www.intec.edu.my/main/index.php/professional-accountancy

TBS and MERLIMAU

(This post was mostly written in the bus. Maybe there is wrong structure of sentence in front. If there is, I apologise in advance).
(A lot of bebel in front).

Let me bebel first.

This last 10 days was a hectic period for me. Starting from attending Sea Games Training for Volunteers at UKM, then be a pom pom boy in Shah Alam Night Run, I suffered (temporary) insomnia. I hardly sleep in the night, although I yawned several times. During the class, I heard (almost) nothing. Ummm not hear nothing, I hear the sound of lectures projected in front, I responded in class like usual, but at home, I realised I learn nothing in class. Hallucination all the time perhaps. I couldn’t even attempted those published financial statements questions. Hmm maybe I should get some rest.

I realised that I hardly sleep in night. I will lay on the bed for an hour, but at the end still don't fall into dream. To fix this problem, I sleep early, around 9.30.Okay this is quite an awkward and rare routine, as I usually sleep around 12-1, to complete my homework. As now I sleep early, most of the time I sleep without even attempt the homework. But thanks to my ‘beloved and caring’ housemates, I manage finish all my homework, by referring to theirs. Haha, that’s what housemates for.
Okay, let me start my story.
It was Friday afternoon when I rushed to go home. I mean hometown. Why? I just found out my sister was going to attend her graduation ceremony on the next day. With help of my friend, he ditched me at the bus stop after the class. As I prefer to take bus from TBS, so I had to take bus to TBS first, before I bought bus ticket that took me straight to Batu Pahat.
From PKNS Shah Alam, I took RapidKL 750 bus and dropped off at NU Sentral. Then I took LRT toward Masjik Jamek station, changed the LRT lane, and took the LRT toward Putra Heights, before stopped at TBS station.
Maybe it was my first time experience to take LRT to TBS. When I reached Masjid Jamek station, I was clueless, as there is no board of information that shows the direction of LRT, that caused me to miss the correct LRT. As for that, my travel plan delayed for 15 minutes, as I had to wait for another LRT.
When I reached TBS, I realised that I had miss the bus that was supposed to leave at 2.30. I had to take bus which was scheduled to leave at 3.30. Again, my travel plan delayed for about an hour. Pfft.
I reached Batu Pahat around 7pm. It was a tiring and hectic day.
On the next day, my parents and I went to Merlimau for my sister’s graduation ceremony. Well, I believed that it’s okay if no one visit my graduation ceremony, but not my siblings’.
Actually, I had nothing to be told about the ceremony. I just want to mention about the ceremony tentative.
Okay, the tentative said that all the graduates have to enter the hall by 1.30, and the parents or family members by 1.40. But, it was 2.30, and the ceremony not even began yet. Too much waiting here. I don’t know, if the people in the hall has already done their Zohor prayers.
The VIPs finally arrived around 2.50, and the ceremony began.
There were series of speeches delivered by VIPs for about half an hour if I not mistaken, or maybe longer. Why too much speeches? It was already evening. This is s period when people reach weak stage. Graduates and audiences have suffered too much, waiting for VIPs and now for speeches that I don’t know the contents, but I’m quite sure audiences don’t even paid their attention to them. Haish.
Let me summarize my point, and give some tips:

1. If you are accidentally take LRT towards Ampang, but you are heading to Sri Petaling, you can change the LRT lane at Chan Sow Lin Station.
2. At TBS, there are bus tickets seller counters, and self-service ticket machines. In peak hours, you may buy bus tickets at the deep part in the TBS. Near to 7-11 and Fipper stalls, there are still ticket booths, and usually they are quite lengang, because most of TBS users don’t realise their existence. Pergi kaunter belakang, atau use self-service ticket machine. If I not mistaken there is one or two machine at the second level.
3. Your bus ticket shows your specific gate for you to wait for your bus. Follow the instruction. Kalau dia cakap tunggu dekat gate 10, jangan turu  dekat pintu pelepasan 14-16.
4. Goods sold at TBS are quite expensive. It is advised that you buy chips, drinks or jajan before you reach TBS.
5. VIP yang bagi ucapan semasa majlis graduasi/apa-apa majlis, seharusnya peka dengan sekeliling. Janganlah bagi ucapan lama sangat. 5 minit cukuplah. Biar padat dan bermanfaat. Bila panjang sangat banyak merepeknya. Audien kan dah ngantuk petang-petang.
6. Janganlah majlis graduasi ni menyeksa mental orang dengan terpaksa menunggu VIP. Orang lain pun ada komitmen dan hal lain. VIP pun janganlah menyusahkan orang lain.
7. Kita tolong orang,orang tolong kita.
8. Sometimes, it is better if you just hold your tasks for a second and sleep.
Post kali ini banyak sesi luahan perasaan saja.