Many people have the impression that the stock market is an alternative casino, but this is a mistaken notion. Investing in stocks has numerous benefits, and profits from stocks do not require any additional tax payments.
I have wealth and once donated to a certain organization, which led the tax bureau to investigate the source of my income. Since my income comes from profits made through stock investments, the tax bureau cannot extract any taxes from me.
Although I am already advanced in age, investing in stocks keeps me constantly thinking, and in terms of my thinking, I still maintain a very clear mind.

There are only two types of returns from investing in stocks: first, the rise in stock prices, earning capital appreciation; second, the company distributing dividends.
Among these two methods, I prefer the former because valuable stocks tend to rise in price more quickly, while the dividends distributed by listed companies are secondary. After all, no matter how high the dividend yield is, it is not as attractive as the increase in stock price.
I have an engineering background, so when it comes to valuing stocks, I discard complicated accounting metrics and only use a few simple methods. By also paying attention to changes in current events, I have the opportunity to profit from it.
For me, there are several criteria for stock selection: business unitization, a price-to-earnings (PE) ratio below 10, and earnings growth. These three criteria are my golden rules for investing.
A business with a single focus is not too affected by external factors. A single aspect can significantly influence the company's profit fluctuations.
The only reason I cashed out is that the business diversification of Ipoh Engineering no longer aligns with my investment appetite. In addition, some companies that have turned losses into profits are also quite good investment options.

The Malaysian stock market has over 900 listed companies, making it difficult to make a decision due to the numerous options available. In fact, if we exclude large-cap stocks and government-linked companies (GLCs), there are only about 30 to 40 companies left to study, which significantly reduces the difficulty of selecting suitable investment stocks.
Another very important point is that we must focus on the company's ability to grow profits.
Because some listed companies may have made grand promises to the market, it is important to remember that the self-praise of the management does not have any real effect. The quarterly earnings reports, released every three months, immediately reflect the actual performance. Therefore, if the earnings do not meet expectations and there is no possibility of growth, then there is nothing to discuss.
For example, if a real estate company acquires a new property, this reason alone cannot justify investing in real estate stocks. This is because the property needs to undergo a change of use, apply for various government approvals, and launch real estate projects before any revenue can be recognized. All of this can take several years. In other words, the newly acquired property by the real estate company will take at least a few years before any profits can be seen, and this must be clearly understood.
Investing in stocks is most feared when a bear market arrives. The most frightening aspect of investing in stocks is the arrival of a bear market. Here’s a piece of advice: if you notice that everyone is talking about stocks, even taxi drivers, then it’s time to step back and observe. This way, you can avoid getting stuck in a "trap" and incurring losses.