Should I apply for a credit card? (Malaysia)

By Editorial Team -
If you have been walking around in shopping complexes long enough, most likely you would have encountered promoters trying to get you to sign up for a new credit card (plus a free gift). Sometimes, you would probably encounter promoters promoting credit cards from various banks.

Should you go for it? There are good points and there are bad points.

Let me begin with some good points:
  1. It’s better than borrowing from “Ah Long”.
  2. You would need it if you or your loved ones need to get admitted to a private hospital. Private hospitals will need a deposit before they do any major procedure on you. Or else, you will be transferred to the government hospital. Further, most of us do not carry so much cash in our wallet.
  3. You would need it if you are suddenly jobless for whatever reasons and you have no extra cash. Living in a city means you can’t plant your own vegetables and hunt for meat. Almost everything cost money!
     The bad points:
    1. You start to buy expensive and branded products as if there is no need to pay back.
    2. You do not manage your credit card account/s and got yourself blacklisted.

      Comments

      Post a Comment

      Pages

      Popular posts from this blog

      Top 10 Pharmaceutical Companies by Revenue in 2025

      By Editorial Team -
      Image
      With only one of the biopharma industry’s top 20 revenue companies seeing a year-over-year decline in sales, 2024 was a remarkable year of revenue growth for the industry. Compare that to 2023, when eight of the top 20 drugmakers experienced revenue declines. Six of the top 20 drugmakers had double-digit increases in 2024, compared to just two in 2023. Five others saw a revenue bump of between 7% and 9%, compared to two reaching those figures in 2023. For the second year in a row, Eli Lilly (32%) and Novo Nordisk (26%) posted Big Pharma's largest year-over-year sales bumps, though their positions were flipped from 2023 when Novo (31%) topped Lilly (20%). Expect the same form in 2025 as Lilly—boosted by sales of its diabetes and obesity drugs Moujaro and Zepbound— projects  its sales to fall between $58 billion and $61 billion. At the midpoint of the projection, it would be a 32% increase, matching the sales boom it saw last year. Meanwhile, Novo—which also has been powered by sale...
      Read more

      Top 10 Drugs by Worldwide Sales in 2024

      By Editorial Team -
      Image
      It's been several years since COVID-19 vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna jumped to the top of the pharma industry's sales charts, displacing longtime stalwarts with unprecedented sales. But, as 2023 featured major patent expirations, the rise of weight loss drugs and other new dynamics, the year’s ranking of the top 10 drugs by global sales featured its fair share of surprises. Merck’s oncology king Keytruda rose to the top last year, adding yet another feather in its cap. With more than 30 indications across various cancer types and stages, the PD-L1 inhibitor shows no signs of stopping. With $25 billion in global sales, the drug accounted for about 40% of Merck’s total revenue last year. Keytruda's sales are expected to reach $30 billion this year. Keytruda had previously fallen right behind AbbVie's Humira, which held the title of the world’s bestselling drug for nine years in a row until Pfizer and BioNTech’s Comirnaty knocked AbbVie’s Humira off its perch in 2021. N...
      Read more

      7 Best Crypto Exchanges Malaysia 2025

      By Editorial Team -
      Image
      If you're looking for the best cryptocurrency exchanges in Malaysia in 2025, it's important to choose platforms that are secure and fully compliant with local regulations. In Malaysia, Digital Asset Exchanges (DAX) are regulated and licensed by the Securities Commission Malaysia (SC), which ensures they meet strict standards for investor protection and legal compliance. Luno, Binance, Sinegy, Tokenize Exchange, MX Global, Hata and Torum are popular choices. The best cryptocurrency exchanges work similarly to the best stock trading apps, offering competitive fees and resources on digital marketplaces like mobile or desktop. Crypto enthusiasts can easily buy, sell, and store popular digital currencies like Bitcoin or altcoins like Ethereum. Note that if you don't want to use your exchange's built-in wallet (if applicable), you'll need to set up an external crypto wallet, to store your assets securely. Here are details of cryptocurrency exchanges you can use to buy Bit...
      Read more

      Top 10 Cancer Drug Companies of 2025

      By Editorial Team -
      Image
      Merck, Roche and Celgene (now part of Bristol-Myers Squibb) have remained prominent players, but the market dynamics have shifted significantly in recent years. This increased competition is fueled by the success of blockbuster drugs like Keytruda (Merck), Tagrisso (AstraZeneca), and Ibrance (Pfizer), as well as the rapid adoption of immunotherapies and targeted treatments ( Verified Market Reports ). Look at 2017. The trio of drugmakers together held a 45.8% share of the market, with longtime cancer leader Roche controlling 26.4% all on its own. In 2024, though, market intelligence firm EvaluatePharma expects to see much more parity. The top three’s share will shrink to 26.2%, with Roche’s dropping all the way down to 11.9%. And the No. 2 through No. 5 companies—BMS, Johnson & Johnson, Pfizer, AstraZeneca and Merck—will boast shares within less than a percentage point of one another. And it won’t just be the heavy hitters clawing for a piece of the pie. That number is set to near...
      Read more

      5 Top Silver ETFs 2025: What You Need to Know

      By Editorial Team -
      Image
      Along with gold, silver is in high demand as precious metals are highly sought after as safe havens in uncertain economic environments, boosting prices and assets for top silver ETFs like the iShares Silver Trust (SLV). Investors use silver ETFs for various purposes. Other than its safe-haven benefits, some invest for speculative reasons, hoping to profit from potential increases in silver prices or as a hedge against geopolitical turmoil or currency devaluation. Keep reading to learn more about investing in silver and see a list of top ETFs investing in the precious metal.   What Are Silver ETFs?  Silver ETFs are exchange-traded funds that provide exposure to the price of silver, a precious metal. These ETFs are designed to track the performance of silver prices, making it easier for investors to gain exposure to the silver market without physically owning and storing the metal itself. Silver's unique combination of properties, including its electrical conductivity, thermal c...
      Read more

      Top 10 Pharma Companies by R&D Spend 2024

      By Editorial Team -
      Image
      In 2024, the pharmaceutical industry witnessed significant shifts in research and development (R&D) investments, with companies like Merck & Co. and AstraZeneca making notable strategic decisions that impacted their positions among top R&D spenders. The average cost for major pharmaceutical companies to develop a drug in 2024 rose to $2.23 billion, up from $2.12 billion the previous year. This increase reflects the growing complexity and expense associated with bringing new therapies to market. ​( Fierce Biotech ) These developments illustrate the dynamic nature of R&D investments in the pharmaceutical sector, influenced by strategic partnerships, acquisitions, and the escalating costs of drug development. 1. Merck & Co. R&D SPENDING 2024: $17.9 billion Change from 2023: -41% Total 2024 revenue: $64.2 billion R&D budget as percentage of revenue: 28% Market capitalisation: 198.3 B USD (as of June 2025) Merck & Co.’s R&D spending plummeted from the d...
      Read more

      Lithium Battery Incidents on US Flights Occur Weekly on Average, FAA Data Show

      By Editorial Team -
      Incidents triggered by lithium-ion batteries are now, on average, a weekly occurrence on U.S. flights, according to the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), with cabin crews expressing concern over the risk. This year, 69 lithium battery incidents involving smoke, fire, or extreme heat have occurred on U.S. flights as of Dec. 16, FAA data show. This equates to more than 1.3 incidents per week. Since 2015, the number of such events has increased by more than 330 percent. Between March 3, 2006, and Nov. 5, 2024, a total of 579 lithium battery incidents were recorded, with the majority of cases coming from passenger carriers. Battery packs and batteries accounted for the bulk of these incidents, with 229 events, followed by e-cigarettes/vape devices with 122, cell phones with 81, laptops with 70, and the rest involving other electronic and medical devices. On Nov. 5, a smoke detector alarm from the lavatory of a United Airlines flight coming from San Francisco went off. “Flight a...
      Read more

      Did Steve Jobs Refuse Treatment for Pancreatic Cancer?

      By Editorial Team -
      Image
      On October 5, 2011, Steve Jobs died after a battle with a rare pancreatic cancer at age 56. But he may have lived longer if he sought proper medical care in time. When Apple co-founder Steve Jobs was first diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2003, his doctors advised him to seek surgery as soon as possible. Instead, he delayed the procedure for nine months and attempted to treat himself with alternative medicine. This fateful decision may have quickened Steve Jobs’ death — when he still could’ve been saved. Steve Jobs died from pancreatic cancer complications on October 5, 2011, just eight years after his initial diagnosis. He was only 56 years old when he died, but his cancer had taken such a toll on his body that he looked gaunt, frail, and much older than his actual age. It was a far cry from the robust, energetic man who had once pioneered the personal computer era.    ...
      Read more

      12 Best SME Business Loans in Malaysia 2025

      By Editorial Team -
      Image
      Several banks in Malaysia offer business loans tailored for SMEs. Maybank and CIMB are popular choices, offering a variety of loan amounts and competitive interest rates. Other notable options include Public Bank and RHB, while SME Bank and MIDF also provide dedicated financing solutions for small and medium-sized enterprises.   SME or also known as Small and Medium-sized Enterprises are businesses that maintain revenues, assets, or a number of employees below a certain threshold. These business entities are often regarded as the heartbeat of Malaysia’s emerging and developing economies. Apart from providing vast numbers of employment opportunities, SME businesses are generally entrepreneurial in nature, helping to shape innovation. Generally, there are two criteria to be met in order for your business to qualify as an SME -- your annual sales turnover and the number of full time employees in your company. This also implies differently for each economy sector: Manufacturing (S...
      Read more

      Bitcoin Nasdaq Correlation: The Correlation between the Nasdaq index and Cryptocurrencies 2025

      By Editorial Team -
      Image
      The correlation between the Nasdaq index and cryptocurrencies, particularly Bitcoin, has been a subject of interest and analysis, reflecting the increasing integration of digital assets into the broader financial ecosystem. Here's a detailed look at this relationship: Historical Context and Trends: Increasing Correlation : Over the past few years, there has been a noticeable trend towards a stronger correlation between Bitcoin and the Nasdaq Composite Index, especially with tech-heavy indices like the Nasdaq 100. As of early 2025, this correlation has been observed to be at a high level, with some periods showing a correlation coefficient above 0.9. This suggests that movements in Bitcoin prices often mirror those of the Nasdaq, particularly during bullish market phases for tech stocks. Institutional Influence : The growing involvement of institutional investors in cryptocurrencies has played a significant role in this correlation. Companies like Coinbase, which has a listing on Na...
      Read more