Asia Pacific University of Technology & Innovation’s (APU) Information Technology student, Yew Choon Yuen, won first place at Myduitstory 5.0, held in conjunction with Sasana Symposium 2025, for his Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) creative video. 

Asia Pacific University of Technology & Innovation (APU) is delighted to announce that its Information Technology student, Yew Choon Yuen, has clinched First place at the prestigious Myduitstory 5.0, held in conjunction with Sasana Symposium 2025.

Choon Yuen impressed judges with his exceptionally creative video, which deftly tackled financial literacy and the pervasive ‘Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL)’ phenomenon.

Myduitstory 5.0, a short video competition organised by the Financial Education Network (FEN), aims to heighten awareness about ‘painless payments’ and foster responsible online spending habits among young people. 

The closing ceremony, held at Sasana Kijang, Kuala Lumpur, was attended by Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh, Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) Governor Datuk Seri Abdul Rasheed Ghaffour, and other senior management from BNM, who presented prizes to the deserving winners.

Choon Yuen’s winning video offers an imaginative and visually striking take on the pitfalls of irresponsible BNPL usage. 

Set in a compelling fictional 3D world, the narrative follows Ah Kaw, a character plagued by poor salary management and impulsive spending. 

His unchecked desires, particularly after gaining access to BNPL, lead him to acquire everything in sight, disregarding price tags entirely, which ultimately results in the loss of his home and car.

A fictional world, real-world lesson blending 2D and 3D storytelling

In stark contrast, the video introduces Ah Lee, a character who embodies disciplined financial planning. 

Ah Lee’s prudent approach secures him a far more stable future, even showing him strategically investing extra savings into the Employees Provident Fund (EPF) for long-term wealth growth. 

“To get a competitive edge over the other contestants, I chose to incorporate a 3D environment with me as the main character,” explained Choon Yuen, whose three years of video editing experience clearly paid dividends. 

He elaborated, “I use 2D and 3D elements combined to tell a story between Ah Kaw, who is mindlessly using the Buy Now, Pay Later option, versus Ah Lee, who knows how to plan his spendings wisely, and the effects of their actions.”

Remarkably, Choon Yuen entered the competition as a solo participant, competing against numerous teams, yet his individual prowess and creative vision enabled him to secure the top spot. 

“I enjoy the competitive feel that the other contestants gave me,” he explained, “I am happy to get inspiration from them and the connections I got from attending the prize-giving ceremony. I actually thought of the video concept while I was making the video presentation for the corruption MPU subject, so I think it is kind of the other way round.”

Choon Yuen extended his heartfelt gratitude to his mentor, Mr Mohd Asyraf Atarhim, Lecturer from School of Technology (SoT) for his invaluable information and guidance throughout the Myduitstory competition, which proved instrumental in his first-place win.