How to Switch Your M+ CDS Account: Conventional ↔ Islamic

Many investors only realise it years later: the CDS account they opened back then is a conventional account, when what they actually wanted was an Islamic one. The reverse happens too — an Islamic account holder who later needs to switch to conventional.

The good news is that the account type can be changed. You do not have to close your existing account and start over, and you do not have to visit a branch. This article walks through the easiest way to make the switch using the auto-filled form inside your Mahersaham dashboard.

Two CDS account types at M+: C and J

At Malacca Securities (M+), your account type is written into your client code:

Ending in C — conventional account
Ending in J — Islamic account

So client code ABC123C is conventional, while ABC123J is Islamic. If you are not sure which one you hold, the code appears on your contract notes and on your monthly client statement.

One distinction worth keeping clear: your account type is a separate matter from whether a particular stock is Shariah-compliant. A counter's Shariah status is determined by the Securities Commission's Shariah Advisory Council and the list is revised twice a year — you can check it on the SC Malaysia Islamic Capital Market portal. If your question is really about investing approach, we cover Shariah versus conventional investing separately.

When investors typically switch

The situations we see most often:

The account was opened years ago without paying attention to the type, and the investor now wants their brokerage arrangements to follow Shariah principles.
The investor becomes serious about Shariah-compliant investing after attending a class or reading about Shariah screening.
A personal or family financial-planning reason.

For the finer details of the Islamic account at M+ — differences in charges, facilities, or which counters you may trade — confirm with your remisier before you send the forms, so you know exactly what changes after the switch.

The easiest route: the auto-filled dashboard form

Previously, switching account type meant requesting forms, filling them in by hand, and hoping every field was right. Mahersaham now provides an auto-filled form that generates the entire document set as a single PDF.

Log in to your Mahersaham account at mahersaham.com using the same email that is on your CDS account record.
Open mahersaham.com/dashboard/borang/tukar-akaun. Your details (name, IC, CDS number, address, phone, email) are filled in automatically from our records.
Pick the account you want to switch. If you hold more than one, all of them are listed with their current type.
Choose the target type — Islamic (J) or Conventional (C). The form warns you if you accidentally pick the type the account already is.
Review the PDF preview on the right. It regenerates as you edit, so you see exactly what will print.
Print or download once everything is correct.

There is no charge for the switch, and no branch visit is required.

What the generated PDF contains

The download is not a single form but a complete pack with an instruction cover page. Print it single-sided:

Updating of Account Particulars (2 pages) — 1 copy
Account Opening Individual — 1 copy
Client Online Linkage Form (2 pages) — 1 copy
Change of Signature — 2 copies (photocopy first, then sign both)
IC photocopy — 2 pieces

The cover page also lists anything still incomplete, so you can fill it in on screen before printing or write it in by hand.

Signing them correctly

This is where most returned forms go wrong. Use a ballpoint pen in black or blue ink, and sign in the right place on each form:

Updating of Account Particulars — the "Signature of Client" field
Account Opening Individual — inside the "Signature of Applicant" BOX on page 5
Client Online Linkage Form — the "Client Signature" field
Change of Signature — on the dotted line above "Yours faithfully", on each of the 2 copies

Two things that get forms rejected

Do not write any date. That includes the "with effect from" field — leave it blank. The office fills that in based on the actual processing date.

Do not use correction fluid. If you make a mistake, reprint that form. Anything with liquid paper on it is usually not accepted.

And check every field and tick box before you sign. Once signed, fixing an error means repeating the whole process.

After the forms are signed

Photograph every form and send the images to your remisier on WhatsApp for a first check. This catches small mistakes before the pack goes anywhere.
Once confirmed, put the forms in a plastic sleeve and an envelope and post them to your remisier.
Send the tracking number to your remisier so the delivery can be traced.

If you are a Mahersaham client and are unsure which address to post to, ask your remisier directly — do not use a general address you found through a web search.

Common questions

How long does it take? It depends on postal delivery and the processing queue at M+. Once the forms arrive, your remisier can help check the status.

Is there a fee? No, there is no charge for switching account type.

What if my details do not auto-fill? The form will say your account details were not found for your email — meaning the email you use to log in to Mahersaham differs from the one on your CDS record. You can fill everything in manually, or ask your remisier to update your registered email first.

I hold several accounts. Do they all switch? No. Only the client code you select in the form is affected.

What about other changes, like phone number or bank details? Those have their own auto-filled forms — see our guide on updating your phone number and M+ account details.

Conclusion

Switching your CDS account between conventional and Islamic is not complicated — the difficulty is only in getting the paperwork complete and the signatures in the right places. The auto-filled form in the Mahersaham dashboard handles the tedious part; your job is to review, print, sign and post.

If you are still at the beginning and do not yet have an account to trade on Bursa Malaysia, start there first.

Open a CDS account with Mahersaham to invest on Bursa Malaysia as well as overseas markets such as the US and Hong Kong.

If you are just starting out, download the free stock market basics ebook to understand the fundamentals before you enter the market.

Two CDS account types at M+: C and J

At Malacca Securities (M+), your account type is written into your client code:

Ending in C — conventional account
Ending in J — Islamic account

So client code ABC123C is conventional, while ABC123J is Islamic. If you are not sure which one you hold, the code appears on your contract notes and on your monthly client statement.

When investors typically switch

The situations we see most often:

The account was opened years ago without paying attention to the type, and the investor now wants their brokerage arrangements to follow Shariah principles.
The investor becomes serious about Shariah-compliant investing after attending a class or reading about Shariah screening.
A personal or family financial-planning reason.

The easiest route: the auto-filled dashboard form

Log in to your Mahersaham account at mahersaham.com using the same email that is on your CDS account record.
Open mahersaham.com/dashboard/borang/tukar-akaun. Your details (name, IC, CDS number, address, phone, email) are filled in automatically from our records.
Pick the account you want to switch. If you hold more than one, all of them are listed with their current type.
Choose the target type — Islamic (J) or Conventional (C). The form warns you if you accidentally pick the type the account already is.
Review the PDF preview on the right. It regenerates as you edit, so you see exactly what will print.
Print or download once everything is correct.

There is no charge for the switch, and no branch visit is required.

What the generated PDF contains

The download is not a single form but a complete pack with an instruction cover page. Print it single-sided:

Updating of Account Particulars (2 pages) — 1 copy
Account Opening Individual — 1 copy
Client Online Linkage Form (2 pages) — 1 copy
Change of Signature — 2 copies (photocopy first, then sign both)
IC photocopy — 2 pieces

The cover page also lists anything still incomplete, so you can fill it in on screen before printing or write it in by hand.

Signing them correctly

This is where most returned forms go wrong. Use a ballpoint pen in black or blue ink, and sign in the right place on each form:

Updating of Account Particulars — the "Signature of Client" field
Account Opening Individual — inside the "Signature of Applicant" BOX on page 5
Client Online Linkage Form — the "Client Signature" field
Change of Signature — on the dotted line above "Yours faithfully", on each of the 2 copies

Two things that get forms rejected

Do not write any date. That includes the "with effect from" field — leave it blank. The office fills that in based on the actual processing date.

Do not use correction fluid. If you make a mistake, reprint that form. Anything with liquid paper on it is usually not accepted.

And check every field and tick box before you sign. Once signed, fixing an error means repeating the whole process.

After the forms are signed

Photograph every form and send the images to your remisier on WhatsApp for a first check. This catches small mistakes before the pack goes anywhere.
Once confirmed, put the forms in a plastic sleeve and an envelope and post them to your remisier.
Send the tracking number to your remisier so the delivery can be traced.

If you are a Mahersaham client and are unsure which address to post to, ask your remisier directly — do not use a general address you found through a web search.

Common questions

How long does it take? It depends on postal delivery and the processing queue at M+. Once the forms arrive, your remisier can help check the status.

Is there a fee? No, there is no charge for switching account type.

I hold several accounts. Do they all switch? No. Only the client code you select in the form is affected.

What about other changes, like phone number or bank details? Those have their own auto-filled forms — see our guide on updating your phone number and M+ account details.

Conclusion

If you are still at the beginning and do not yet have an account to trade on Bursa Malaysia, start there first.

Open a CDS account with Mahersaham to invest on Bursa Malaysia as well as overseas markets such as the US and Hong Kong.

If you are just starting out, download the free stock market basics ebook to understand the fundamentals before you enter the market.

Conventional or Islamic CDS Account? How to Switch Your M+ Account Type

Two CDS account types at M+: C and J

When investors typically switch

The easiest route: the auto-filled dashboard form

What the generated PDF contains

Signing them correctly

Two things that get forms rejected

After the forms are signed

Common questions

Conclusion

Further Reading

Conventional or Islamic CDS Account? How to Switch Your M+ Account Type

Two CDS account types at M+: C and J

When investors typically switch

The easiest route: the auto-filled dashboard form

What the generated PDF contains

Signing them correctly

Two things that get forms rejected

After the forms are signed

Common questions

Conclusion

Further Reading