JOHOR BARU: An elderly woman who became an instant millionaire through Bank Simpanan Nasional's (BSN) Premium Savings Certificate (SSP) initially thought she was receiving a call from a scammer.
BSN chairman Datuk Seri Dr Awang Adek Hussin said the woman even scolded the officer who repeatedly tried to inform her of the win, suspecting it was a scam attempt.
He said they eventually had to contact the woman's child to inform her of the win.
Awang said her child then took her to a BSN branch, where she finally believed she was the SSP millionaire.
"It was a touching moment for the woman, who is also a BSN SSP depositor, when she received the prize.
"To date, BSN has produced 104 'instant millionaires' through the SSP, which is an initiative to encourage the habit of saving.
"There are currently about 6.2 million depositors with total savings exceeding RM5.4 billion," he said during the draw, here, today.
He added that BSN SSP is not only a popular savings scheme among locals but also serves as a platform to promote long-term savings habits.
"BSN SSP has proven its commitment to providing opportunities for the public to achieve their financial dreams.
"At BSN, we constantly strive to empower more citizens with innovative and competitive financial products, while continuing to support the nation's financial inclusion aspirations.
"I believe BSN SSP will continue to be the primary choice for citizens to save and secure a better future.
"Next, we're heading to Kuantan, Pahang, and the next draw will be held in Kuala Lumpur in December which offers RM2 million," he said.
He said there are more than 500,000 SSP depositors in Johor, with total savings exceeding RM553 million.
He said BSN is proud to have produced 103 BSN SSP millionaires, 12 of whom are from Johor.
"That number is among the highest. It's a loss not to participate in SSP because every month there's a millionaire. No other bank does this, and this is special as it reflects our brand.
"The draw process is conducted transparently and overseen by the relevant authorities," he said during the press conference today.
With 387 branches and 2,293 bank agents across the country, BSN continues to expand access to financial services to all levels of society.
In Johor alone, BSN has 290 bank agents and 48 branches.
In conjunction with its 50th anniversary, BSN hopes to continue empowering communities and providing accessible financial services nationwide.
The SSP draw, which began in 2013, requires individuals to save a minimum of RM3,000.