The banking sector is poised to face new challenges from high interest rates environment in the coming years. With higher cost of borrowing, the public may postpone their purchases. Not only that, current concern with inflation is making many banks worried about interest-rate risk. Floating rate loans can easily absorb any increase in the overnight… Continue reading Joint-Venture Financing For Islamic Banks
Category: Economics
Importance of ICT to SMEs
SMEs need to embrace the state-of-art technologies to penetrate non-traditional markets and remain competitive in the face of increasing challenges posed by globalisation, liberalisation and technological advances. Author: Musalmah Johan. Publication: MIERScan, 30 May 2005. Download
Gearing Up For A Busy Tourism Year
2007 promises to be an exciting year for the tourism industry. In an effort to further promote Malaysia’s image as a popular international tourist destination, the government has declared 2007 as Visit Malaysia Year (VMY). This is the third time that authorities have embarked on this campaign, following two previous successful efforts in the early… Continue reading Gearing Up For A Busy Tourism Year
From Windows to Subsidiaries for Islamic Banking
In the absence of money-lending environment they (i.e. entrepreneurs) should stand a chance to flourish and perform even betterunder the new Islamic subsidiary system. Author: Saiful Azhar Rosly. Publication: MIERScan, 31 October 2005. Download
Competition and Economic Development
Many developing and emerging market economies are preparing, if not implementing, new competition laws or modernizing their existing statutes. UNCTAD and the World Bank estimate that there are now more than 90 countries covering 86 per cent of world trade with some kind of competition or anti-trust statute. This is a quantum leap from less than… Continue reading Competition and Economic Development
Benefits of EcoTourism for Local Communities
The benefits of ecotourism for local communities can be broadly categorized as economic, socio-cultural and physical. The most direct economic benefits are the improvements in employment and income. The National Ecotourism Plan recognises that local communities living at ecotourism site have generally low incomes. Hence, ecotourism provides a viable economic option for such communities. Author:… Continue reading Benefits of EcoTourism for Local Communities
Inflation in Malaysia
Maintaining a low and stable inflation rate has become one of the challenges in the macroeconomic management of most countries. Among others, Malaysia has a very unique experience in terms of inflation. The economy has experienced episodes of high (1973-1973, 1980-1981) and low (1985-1987) regimes of inflation, and was able to contain low and stable… Continue reading Inflation in Malaysia
Taking a Closer Look at Inflation
Following the hike in fuel prices, interest rates and, more recently, electricity rates, there has been growing concern about the return of the inflation spectre. They crimp consumer confidence, while businesses attempt to balance their books by passing the burden of higher costs to the consumers. Download
The Role of Capital Account Controls in Developing Countries: Lessons from Malaysia
Two Different Policy Responses to the Asian Financial Crisis During the1990s, Asian businesses in developing nations acquired short-term funds in global markets. Much of this dollar denominated debt was unhedged. Over time, the quality of the investments made with these funds deteriorated. For example, short-term borrowing was used to acquire assets with a long-term payoff,… Continue reading The Role of Capital Account Controls in Developing Countries: Lessons from Malaysia
Petroleum to play a lesser role in the economy
The importance of oil and gas to the modern Malaysian economy seems readily obvious. The twin towers that stand majestically in Kuala Lumpur are a towering testimony. Oil can be a curse, not a blessing, if this precious resource is mismanaged, as shown by the experience of some countries. In the case of Malaysia, one… Continue reading Petroleum to play a lesser role in the economy