WAJARKAH OPR DI PERTINGKATKAN SEKARANG?

Masalah utama yang di hadapi oleh masyarakat ialah masalah kenaikan harga barang. Rata-rata harga barangan semuanya naik. Salah satu faktor yang mendorong kenaikan harga barang ialah nilai matawang Ringgit yang semakin lemah dan menyebabkan barangan impot menjadi mahal. Kita terlalu bergantung kepada impot samada untuk makanan atau rantaian bekalan. 

Apabila kadar Dasar Semalaman (OPR) di pertingkatkan, jumlah simpanan negara akan meningkat dan mengukuhkan nilai matawang kita dan ini akan menstabilkan harga barangan impot. 

Keduanya Ringgit semakin susut nilai kerana berada dalam pasaran dalam bentuk tunai yang banyak termasuk dana stimulus fiskal dan RM145 bilion dari pengeluaran KWSP semasa pandemik. Sedangkan bekalan barangan pula yang terhad mengakibatkan harga barang menjadi lebih mahal. 

Peningkatan OPR, akan mengurangkan aliran tunai dalam pasaran dan mendorong kepada simpanan. Malah kadar pinjaman rumah, kad kredit, overdraf dan pinjaman kereta baru juga menjadi lebih mahal dan ini akan membendung perbelanjaan.

Walaupun langkah Bank Negara Makaysia (BNM) menaikkan kadar OPR untuk memulihkan kadar inflasi dan mengukuhkan nilai matawang Ringgit tetapi ia bukanlah tanpa kesan kepada rakyat. Sebab itu langkah ini bukan langkah populis. Tahun lepas sahaja, BNM menaikkan kadar OPR sebanyak 4 kali. 

Sebagai salah satu negara dengan hutang isirumah yang tertinggi di Asia, sebahagian besar dari rakyat akan terkesan dengan kenaikan kadar OPR. Ramai individu dan isi rumah dijangka, malah telah pun terjejas dalam menguruskan perbelanjaan melibatkan makanan, utiliti dan pendidikan anak-anak.

Jadi adakah sekarang ini masa yang sesuai dan patutkah Kerajaan menaikkan kadar OPR sedangkan rakyat dalam kesusahan dan perniagaan masih belum pulih?

Jawapan mudah ialah kita tiada pilihan. Malaysia di pengaruhi kuat oleh dasar monetari Amerika. Amerika telah mempertingkatkan kadar OPR sebanyak 10 kali semenjak bulan Mac 2022 kepada 5% dan ini menjejas ekonomi dunia apabila matawang negara-negara membangun mengalir kembali ke Amerika menjadikan matawang asing semakin lemah.  

Kita tiada pilihan melainkan kita berani mengambil pendekatan drastik seperti langkah tambatan Ringgit (Fix-Currency) yang di perkenalkan oleh Perdana Menteri ke 4, Tun Dr Mahathir semasa krisis kewangan 1997. 

Pentadbiran pimpinan Dato Seri Anwar Ibrahim perlu memandu ekonomi dengan memperkenalkan dasar-dasar baru dan drastik untuk melonjak ekonomi negara keluar dari krisis ekonomi. Dasar-dasar baru perlu di perkenalkan untuk membangun industri tempatan melalui expot supaya dapat menyeimbang transaksi perdagangan ekonomi.

Dengan kenaikan OPR. negara mengambil risiko pengucutan ekonomi yang boleh membawa kepada kegawatan dan adalah lebih baik kita bersedia dengan menjadual semula pembayaran pinjaman dan membatalkan kad-kad kredit untuk menjaga rekod kewangan demi masa hadapan.

Armin Baniaz Pahamin

Presiden Gerakan Ekonomi Malaysia

NEW BANK COVER NOTE VERSUS PARKING

I first saw the new Bank Notes on Facebook and had the first touch of it a few weeks back. Bearing the theme 'Distinctively Malaysia', the new bank notes were impressive and beautifully designed incorporating Malaysia culture and heritage. The transition to the new notes does attract some inconveniences to the public when various parking machines do not recognize both the new bank notes and coins.

At the Tropics, Perdana Shopping Centre, Damansara Perdana,  Godell.com.my the parking management company that manages the parking at the Mall, did not calibrate their parking machine yet but their machine also do not give out any change and this has been on going for many months if not years.

BANK NEGARA GUIDELINES ON RESPONSIBLE FINANCE- THE IMPACT

On 18 November 2011, Bank Negara Malaysia issued a guideline (BNM/RH/GL 000-5 Guidelines on Responsible Finance) to financial institutions aimed at promoting prudent, responsible and transparent retail financing practices. The guideline that  took effect on 1 January 2012 are applicable and was issued pursuant to six (6) Statutory Acts  namely, Section 126 of the Banking and Financial Institutions Act (BAFIA) 1989; Section 53A of the Islamic Banking Act 1983, Section 201 of the Insurance Act 1996, Section 69 of the Takaful Act 1984, Section 126 of the Development Financial Institutions Act 2002; and Section 70 of the Payment Systems Act 2003.

1. The guidelines that covers all form of financing from car loan to overdraft and even credit cards will give rise to loan shark and create unproductive population. When the Banks are more stringent, it provides a better opportunity for loan shark to grow. The Guidelines provide them with a bigger population and opportunity. The loan shark industry was already at its prime even before the guideline was introduced.

2. The demographic for PROTON car buyer represents the majority of Malaysia populations with low salary but earns from multiple source of income. The commitment to pay the monthly fix housing mortgage and vehicle loan repayment is in itself a drive for many to work harder to secure their employment and be promoted which in turn enhances overall productivity.

3. The income of more than 4,500 sales advisors employed by PROTON Dealers network were badly injured when the Sales Advisors were not able to earn commission from sales when their customer’s loan application were either rejected or refused for loan processing in compliance to the BNM guidelines.

4.  The guideline had severely damaged our sales with only 30% application for loan submission in January were approved. Although Malaysia Automotive Association reported a 25% drop in sales for January 2012, PEDA believe the actual drop was more as many from January sales were the spill-over from December when customer waited for the new year to register their cars and when customer had already obtained their loan financing was before the Guideline took effect in January 2012.

Bank Negara, ABM, MAA..... & PEDA

On 12 June 2009, I received an invitation from Puan Sarina Said,Dep Director for the Central Bank of Malaysia (BNM) to attend a meeting with BNM that was requested by MAA. I attended the meeting on 15 June 2009 that was chaired by BNM Asst. Governor Dato' Muhammad Ibrahim. The Association of Banks in Malaysia (ABM) too attended the meeting and was represented by CIMB, AMBank, Public Bank, EON Bank, RHB Bank, Hong Leong Bank, Maybank Berhad and Alliance Bank. Dato' Aishah, the President of Malaysia Automotive Association (MAA) led the MAA council that was represented by Mitsubishi, Tan Chong, Proton, Perodua, Honda, Toyota and Daihatsu.

Although PEDA is already 11 years old, this was PEDA's first meeting with ABM and MAA together with BNM. I learn an important discovery, the approval or rejection period for Proton buyer's hire-purchase loan application should only take an average 1.5 days (subject to full documentation) as reported by the Association of Banks to the BNM survey.

This is indeed a good news for Proton Edar, Proton dealers as well as Proton customers especially during this economic downturn. Car Buyer should be able to get their car loan application status within a maximum of 48 hours.

PEDA will now conducts a monthly review with a sole objective to improve the car loan approval period for Proton buyer and determine: (1) the duration of loan approval or rejection and (2) the percentage of rejection. The outcome of the monthly survey will also act as an an economic indicator as the automotive sales industry is entirely dependent on the car buyer's loan approval/rejection percentage.

PEDA will email to BNM the statistical survey as requested, on Monday 22 June 2009. The outcome of the survey will also be made available to Proton network as well as the public via this blog.

PEDA is grateful and is pleased with BNM pro-activeness and sensitivity in the loan application predicament faced by Proton buyer. PEDA represent 70% of total proton sales in Malaysia or a total trade turnover (Proton dealers) of more than RM7billion per annum. PEDA is grateful to be included in BNM regular meetings.

The new driver of Malaysia under the stewardship of the Prime Minister YAB Dato Seri Najib Tun Razak as the Chancellor of the Exchequer had seen a pro-active transformation in various governmental bodies and especially the Central Bank of Malaysia.

.

Bank Negara Malaysia

Bank Negara Malaysia

I arrived early for a meeting with the Bank Negara Malaysia (Central Bank of Malaysia) and was greeted by a friendly lady Mdm Koid Swee Lian at the reception counter. We chatted unofficially at the entrance of Bank Negara Lanai Kijang, approximately 5 minutes away from the Bank Negara head office.

Various marathons and running races that i participated were organised that passed by the road to the Lanai Kijang but i never took notice of this Bank Negara building. We were directed to the staff cafe that is almost as beautiful as a 5 star hotel cafe and was seated at a 12 seater table. Lanai Kijang is residents for Bank Negara training centre that can occupy more than 299 residents.

Shortly after we were seated, three other officials from Bank Negara arrived and we introduced ourselves and it was then that i learn Mdm Koid is the Bank Negara Director of Consumer and Market Conduct. She was very friendly and pleasant that she can be easily mistaken for the receptionist or secretary. Together with Mdm Koid was En Abdul Rasheed Ghafur, Bank Negara Director for Financial Sector Development whom were as friendly as Mdm Koid. En Rasheed explained he purposely chose the staff cafe for a discussion to enable everybody to close rank at a friendlier environement and open up for any ideas and suggestions that is pertinent to the Malaysian public. Which i agree if compared to the serious bored and mono environment of a meeting room. Bank Negara policies are designed for the public and consumer at large, En Rasheed explained which is why Bank Negara want to listen to all the stakeholders view and suggestions.

I was impressed at the 'new' approached by Bank Negara. There was no authoritative arrogance that previously stink the government and authorities which i was prepared for today. We had various interactions and dealing with Bank Negara in the past when the Hire Purchase commission was revoked early in the new millennium.

Bank Negara was further represented by three other deputy Directors Ms Sarina Said from Corporate Communications, Ms Junaidah Mohd Said Financial Sector Development and Ms Lim Hsin Ying (pronounced as 'Singing' according to her) from media and promotions.

We had a good breakfast compliments from Bank Negara and a lengthy discussions on various issues. En Rasheed and Mdm Koid both gave the assurance, today's meeting will be the start and a platform for any feedback or suggestions.

If all Ministries and governmental bodies were to be as pro-active as Bank Negara Malaysia officials today, I believe we can steer ourselves out from the recession and move forward faster than planned. This is indeed the spirit of Malaysia Incorporated, Malaysia Boleh and 1Malaysia.

I look forward to various other collaborations with Bank Negara.


.

BANK NEGARA INTEREST REVIEW ONLY BENEFITS THE BANK

PROTON EDAR DEALERS ASSOCIATION MALAYSIA

Press Release

“INTEREST RATE REDUCTION WILL ONLY BENEFIT BANKS”.

JANUARY 2009, KUALA LUMPUR. The downward revision in the Bank’s lending and base financing rates will have negligible effect on Proton car sales” said Armin Baniaz Pahamin, Acting President, Proton Edar Dealers Association Malaysia.

1. Currently, the interest rate for Proton car remained at 3.88% for hire-purchase loan duration of 7 years or less and 3.99% for hire-purchase loan duration of 8 and 9 years.

2. The interest rate has remained constant and there is no downward adjustment for Proton car interest rates even after the last revision by Bank Negara in November 2008.

3. In the latest revision by Bank Negara, it is doubtful that any interest rate adjustment to be made to new proton cars and on the bank facilities subscribed by Proton dealers.

4. Similarly, there is no interest rate adjustment even on Bank facilities subscribed by Proton Edar dealers (with most banks) during last November Bank Negara revision.

5. The interest rate for banking facilities offered to proton dealers by most banks is on a fix interest rate on daily and period-rest. Only a few facilities (by one or two banks) interest rate are fixed based on Base Lending Rate (BLR).

6. The interest rate reduction is an additional profit to Banks perhaps as a support for the anticipated losses during this recession year with negligible benefits to the dealers or the customers.

7. The public or car buyers do not benefit from the November interest revision nor does majority of Proton dealers.

8. The Public or potential proton buyer are still facing difficulty with securing hire-purchase loan to buy new proton cars given the high risk profile programmed for proton customers.

9. To improve the customers risk profile that is based on overall proton historical sales, the NPL for Proton brand name should be in a different category for new Proton car sales by Proton AUTHORISED DEALERS and different classification for ‘new-and-used-proton’ car sales by USED CAR DEALERS. Then the NPL will be more accurate and customer’s loan approval can be improved.

10. Government should only allow Proton authorized dealers to submit for new proton hire-purchase loan submission to Banks to mitigate unnecessary fraud, CBT and NPL (by unauthorized dealers). Currently any dealer can submit to the bank direct.

11. Unauthorized car dealer Hire purchase loan submission for new Proton cars contributes to a higher NPL. Authorized proton dealers had to comply with strict requirement by Proton and will not jeopardize their dealership for any fraud or syndicated buyers.

12. Factors that will spur the automotive industry include a more flexible and cheaper banking facilities, flexible loan duration, easier loan approval and a regulated pricing for second hand cars.

13. The public are heavily burden when the value of their existing car is less than the balance loan amount of the said car. This will further hamper the growth of the automotive sales.

14. 9 out of 10 customers would want to trade-in their existing car to buy a new car, but many are not able to trade-in their car, because the car value is lower than the balance loan amount. The value of second-hand or registered used cars car depends entirely on the banks prerogative on the financing amount.