IslamicFinance.de

The Securities Commission Malaysia (SC) has launched a five-year Islamic Fund and Wealth Management Blueprint designed to drive further development and growth of Malaysia's Islamic capital market. The Blueprint aims to establish the country as a leading international centre for Islamic fund and wealth management. It was launched by Datuk Johari Abdul Ghani, Second Finance Minister of Malaysia, on behalf of Prime Minister Dato’ Sri Mohd Najib Tun Razak, at the International Fund Forum 2017. To be implemented on a phased approach, initial work programmes will include the formulation of a framework for SRI funds, the setting up of a global centre for Islamic capital market and the introduction of a digital investment services framework.

#Malaysian banks may have dominated the sukuk market but in value terms the world’s top three sukuk managers, namely HSBC, Standard Chartered and JPMorgan Chase are ahead of any of the local top banks. Second Finance Minister Datuk Johari Abdul Ghani said that despite accounting for 54% of the global sukuk issuances, the country still lags behind global banks. He said local banks could not compete on this front because Malaysia lacks the presence of an Islamic mega bank. Malaysia had in the last 12 months issued 25 of the 30 largest sukuk issuances which collectively totalled US$37 billion (RM154 billion) in value. Thirteen of these sukuk offerings were domestic offerings. Johari urged the 57 member states of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to consolidate their capabilities to produce higher global gross domestic product (GDP).

Malaysia’s central bank, Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM), announced it has closed its investigations into 1MDB after the investment firm paid a fine for non-compliance with local financial regulations. The Finance Ministry insisted that there was no misappropriation but only administrative weakness in the firm. However, 1MDB will be barred from borrowing public funds. Malaysia’s Deputy Finance Minister, Johari Abdul Ghani, said 1MDB will be dissolved once it pays off its debts. The firm currently has debts totalling RM50 billion ($16 billion) as of January, as opposed to assets of RM53 billion.

Islamic finance is well suited to bridge financing gaps in long-term infrastructure development projects, especially in less developed markets. Deputy finance minister Datuk Johari Abdul Ghani said Islamic financing had huge potential and could meet long-term funding needs since it suited its asset-based and risk-sharing nature. The global Islamic capital market has expanded in size and depth across areas, with a combined market value of over US$21.5tril spread across 70 jurisdictions.