Monday, December 16, 2013

Mengapa Lebih ramai Non Muslim Gunakan Khidmat Bank Islam?


KUALA LUMPUR 8 Julai - Hanya baru beroperasi bulan Oktober lalu, Bank Al Rajhi kini sudahpun memiliki kira-kira 30,000 pelanggan yang mana 52 peratus bukan Islam. Perkembangan ini sememangnya agak ‘mengejutkan' dalam negara yang majoritinya rakyat Islam meskipun umum mengetahui bahawa sebelum ini bukan Islam telahpun menjadi pelanggan entiti perbankan Islam. Tetapi, apa yang menarik tentang Bank Al Rajhi adalah keupayaan menarik lebih ramai bukan Islam dalam jangka masa agak singkat.
Kejayaan ini dilihat ‘sebagai' kemampuan kuasa jenama memikat pelanggan dalam dunia pemasaran yang semakin kompleks. Menurut Ketua Pemasaran dan Kad Bank Al Rajhi di Malaysia, Johan Aris, pembinaan jenama bukanlah tugas yang mudah kerana ia adalah aset, identiti dan strategi jangka panjang dalam membina masa depan Bank Al Rajhi di Malaysia.
Katanya, Al Rajhi, bank terbesar di Arab Saudi dan bank Islam terbesar di dunia, begitu berhati-hati dalam membina kuasa jenamanya. Katanya, kuasa jenama yang terhasil daripada pengiklanan bukan semata-mata berkaitan revolusi dan daya kreatif bagi menjual produk dan perkhidmatan tetapi lebih utama ia perlu bersifat ‘kempen'. ‘‘Sebab itu, dalam menghasilkan iklan ini kami mahu ‘arkitek' terbabit membina jenama itu dengan penuh emosi sehingga ia boleh meninggalkan kesan mendalam kepada orang ramai. ‘‘Hasilnya kami menggunakan tema Telus, Jujur dan Ikhlas: Nilai-nilai yang dicari, sinonim dengan peranan Al Rajhi sebagai sebuah perbankan Islam yang mematuhi prinsip-prinsip Islam untuk kesejahteraan hidup,'' kata beliau kepada Utusan Malaysia di sini.
Menurut Ketua Pegawai Eksekutif McCann Worldgroup, Tony Savarimuthu, tema yang dipilih itu mempunyai mesej tersendiri yang menggambarkan evolusi Bank Al Rajhi dalam perbankan Islam. Katanya, pada kebiasaannya industri perbankan sering dikaitkan dengan produk, sikap ‘diktator', rangkaian cawangan, produk yang seragam dan peranannya sekadar pemberi perkhidmatan kewangan. Bagaimanapun, Bank Al Rajhi perlukan sesuatu jenama yang jelas kerana ia adalah sebuah bank yang mendukung dan mematuhi prinsip Syariah sejak 50 tahun lalu, menurut beliau. Sebab itu, tambahnya, McCann menampilkan konsep baru mengenai perbankan Islam terbesar di dunia ini menerusi tawaran perkhidmatan yang telus, jujur dan ikhlas. Savarimuthu berkata, pihaknya menggunakan tiga medium dalam pengiklanan Bank Al Rajhi iaitu papan iklan besar (billboard), radio dan media cetak. Mengulas mengenai tema itu, Pengurus Perhubungan Korporat, Anneliza Zainal berkata, nilai-nilai yang diterjemahkan itu meliputi segenap urusan perbankan. Anneliza berkata, setakat ini bank itu berpuas hati kerana ia telah berjaya meletakkan nama Bank Al Rajhi di pasaran tempatan. ‘‘Dengan perbelanjaan yang ‘efektif' Bank Al Rajhi berjaya bertapak di sini dan setakat ini nama bank ini telah dikenali,'' katanya.

IBFIM Lancar NIFTI


Hubungkan Institut Latihan Kewangan Islam Seluruh Dunia

Kuala Lumpur, December 8, 2012 - NIFTI (Network of Islamic Finance Training Institutes ) atau rangkaian institut latihan kewangan Islam dilancarkan oleh YBhg Dato’ Muhammad bin Ibrahim, Timbalan Gabenor, Bank Negara Malaysia Sabtu lalu disaksikan oleh 300 pengamal industri kewangan Islam Malaysia. 

NIFTI di terajui IBFIM untuk merapatkan lagi hubungan antara institut latihan kewangan Islam di seluruh dunia serta membolehkan maklumat terkini tentang ilmu dan kursus dalam kewangan islam dapat dicapai mudah untuk pembangunan sumber insan berterusan tidak mengira sempadan geografi, ekonomi dan sosial. 

"IBFIM berterima kasih di atas sokongan padu dari seluruh dunia untuk NIFTI. Portal NIFTI berperanan menyampaikan maklumat terkini tidak mengira pengkususan sama ada perbankan, takaful, pasaran modal mahupun pengurusan kekayaan Islam menjangkaui sempadan geografi. IBFIM dan NIFTI akan sentiasa terus berusaha mencari solusi inovatif untuk kelestarian modal insan kewangan Islam anda di Malaysia dan juga diperingkat global," ujar Dato' Dr Adnan Alias, Ketua Pegawai Eksekutif IBFIM. 

Laman sesawang portal NIFTI boleh dicapai di www.niftiportal.com. Maklumat terkini seperti jenis organisasi, pakej latihan dan subjek serta promosi menjadi mudah apabila segalanya bertumpu di laman portal NIFTI. Adalah diharap dengan terlancarnya NIFTI, tidak seharusnya menjadi adanya alasan sukar mendapat latihan lagi di dalam kewangan islam kerana kini semua maklumat berada dihujung jari.

Terkini : Hukum ASB dan ASN



Hari ini saya menerima satu email yang mengandungi satu attachement surat dari Suruhanjaya Sekuriti, Malaysia kepada Setiausaha, Majlis Penasihat Syariah salah sebuah Bank Islam di Malaysia berkenaan hukum Amanah Saham Bumiputra (ASB) dan Amanah Saham Nasional (ASN).
Apa yang jelas, telah saya sebutkan sebelum ini berkali-kali, walaupun ia telah disahkan harus oleh Majlis Fatwa Kebangsaan Malaysia. Namun kaedah dan implementasi  ASB dan ASN bercanggah dengan panduan sebuah saham amanah yang diiktiraf PATUH SYARIAH oleh Majlis Penasihat Syariah, Suruhanjaya Sekuriti, Malaysia.
Tatkala itu, bolehlah dianggap terdapat perbezaan pendapat dalam menentukan hukum ASB dan ASN antara dua badan pengeluar hukum yang terbesar di Malaysia. Bagi mereka yang ingin lebih berhati-hati dan menjamin tidak terjebak di dalam yang haram, kerana harta akan menjadi darah daging diri dan ahli keluarga. Saya menyarankan agar melihat dengan lebih teliti keahlian ahli-ahli fatwa dari kedua-dua badan terbabit. 
Jika di tanya kepada pendapat peribadi saya, saya lebih cenderung kepada pendapat Majlis Syariah, Suruhanjaya Sekuriti Malaysia dalam hal ini setelah melihat kepada panduan yang diletakkan mereka bagi mengiktiraf sesebuah Amanah Saham yang patuh atau tidak patuh Syariah.
Anda mungkin berkata,
"SAYA TIDAK PEDULI, ASALKAN MAJLIS FATWA LULUSKAN, SAYA AKAN BERPEGANG DENGANNYA KERANA MEREKA YANG TANGGUNG DI AKHIRAT"
Ulasan saya, Allah swt memberikan kita aqal untuk memerhati dan meneliti pandangan kedua-dua badan besar ini setakat kemampuan yang ada, berfikirlah. JIia benar-benar setelah membaca hujjah kedua-dua pihak, lalu anda yakin dengan salah satu antaranya. Anda telah menunaikan tanggungjawab sebagai seorang Muslim yang baik. Namun jika, sambil malas dan ingin mengambil mudah, lalu terus berpegang dengan keputusan Majlis Fatwa Kebangsaan, tanpa mengendahkan hujah Majlis SYariah Suruhanjaya Sekuriti. Tatkala itu, individu tersebut tidak berada dalam situasi yang sepatutnya.
Sekian,

Zaharuddin Abd Rahman

Malaysia Central Bank Tightens Shariah Rules for Islamic Banks


KUALA LUMPUR, March 24 (Reuters) - Malaysia's central bank announced on Wednesday rules to tighten sharia compliance at Islamic banks including raising sharia advisers' accountability and independence, and requiring audits on banks.
Disputes on the compliance of certain products such as a recent case involving Kuwait's Investment Dar (TIDK.KW:QuoteProfileResearch) have put the spotlight on the role of sharia advisers in approving products and their relationship with bank management.
Malaysia's central bank, which oversees the world's largest sukuk market, said Islamic banks must set up sharia review, audit and risk management control functions to reinforce compliance.
"The framework aims essentially to strengthen the sharia governance process, decision-making, accountability and independence," the central bank said in its 2009 annual report.
"To reinforce the sharia compliance functions, internal sharia review and audit requirements will be introduced, supported by an appropriate risk management process and research capability."
The central bank, Bank Negara, said under the rules the board would be responsible for the overall sharia oversight of Islamic banks but must recognise the independence of sharia advisers.
The role of sharia advisers is widened to include ensuring implementation of decisions involving Islamic law and must inform the bank where non-compliance with sharia issues have not been properly addressed.
Islamic financial institutions in Malaysia, which include the units of HSBC (HSBA.L: QuoteProfileResearch), Kuwait Finance House (KFIN.KW: QuoteProfileResearch), Maybank (MBBM.KL: QuoteProfileResearch) and CIMB (CIMB.KL: QuoteProfileResearch), must have review functions that continuously monitor sharia compliance of their operations.
They must also have annual sharia audits which would provide an independent assessment of compliance with established policies, Bank Negara said.
"The senior management is also responsible for ensuring that all submissions to the sharia committee are adequately researched and supported by a thorough study on the sharia issues, product structuring and documentation," it said.
Lawyers have said some banks selectively disclose information to sharia advisers to speed up the approval process for products or push these experts for an endorsement within a short time after supplying them with complicated financial documents.
A recent court case involving Kuwait's Investment Dar and Lebanon's Blom Bank (BLOM.BY: QuoteProfileResearch) has revolved around arguments on the sharia compliance of a certain product, which experts say could leave investors wary of Islamic finance.
Dar has refused to pay Blom Bank $10.7 million, arguing that their original deal involving a wakala or agency arrangement -- which was approved by its sharia board -- fell foul of religious laws.
Dar's charter prohibits it from entering into non-Islamic transactions.
Lawyers say the case has raised several issues including the the level of communication between the bank's board and its sharia advisers.
On its plan to introduce guidelines for a uniform application of popular Islamic financing structures, Bank Negara said it would finalise rules for the ijara, mudaraba, musharaka, istisna and wadiah contracts by end-2010. It had launched rules last year for a standard application of the murabaha structure.  for more Islamic finance stories and ISLAMIC for a speed guide

Tuesday, October 8, 2013

Malaysia: World’s Islamic Finance Marketplace

Malaysia: World’s Islamic Finance Marketplace




The Prime Minister of Malaysia, YAB Dato' Sri Mohd. Najib Bin Tun Abdul Razak, today introduced Malaysia's Islamic finance marketplace to the world and the new iconic brand identity - "Malaysia: World's Islamic Finance Marketplace", marking a significant milestone in the development of the Islamic finance industry in Malaysia. The Prime Minister also took the opportunity to extend an open invitation to the global financial community to collaborate with and mutually benefit from Malaysia's Islamic finance marketplace that is complete with a comprehensive regulatory, supervisory, Shariah and legal framework. Malaysia has in place a comprehensive and progressive Islamic Finance Marketplace that has grown significantly over 30 years. Global industry players and market participants can take advantage of the innovation, expertise and deal flows that emanate from Malaysia's Islamic finance marketplace for business deals from anywhere in the world. The current level of sophistication of Malaysia's Islamic finance marketplace is the result of the concerted efforts of Bank Negara Malaysia and Securities Commission Malaysia, Shariah scholars and the Islamic financial industry community. Malaysia's marketplace drivers can also leverage on Malaysia's comprehensive marketplace framework to further drive the development of the industry through thought leadership, innovation and increased cross border, multicurrency deal flow for business deals. Malaysia has consistently emerged as one of the leading destinations in Islamic finance, particularly in the Islamic banking, sukuk and Islamic equities markets. Malaysia has taken the lead in a number of global rankings in the areas of regulation, products and services, infrastructure, ease of doing business, risk management and audit as well as statistics, marketing and education. The recent inaugural issuance of a Murabahah-based Government Investment Issue (GII) is an important development in the Islamic financial industry. The RM4.0 billion issuance of GII under the widely accepted structure of Murabahah was 2.92 times oversubscribed; the highest bid-to-cover year-to-date, translating into a highly competitive yield. Malaysia's Islamic finance marketplace is today characterised by a robust regulatory, supervisory, Shariah and legal framework, a deep primary and active secondary sukuk market, an efficient price discovery mechanism, a diverse talent base with global capabilities and an efficient system for multi-currency clearing and settlement. The key components of Malaysia's Islamic finance marketplace include Islamic banking, Islamic capital market, takaful and re-takaful, Islamic money market, professional ancillary services, talent development infrastructure and Islamic fund and wealth management. To provide a comprehensive view into Malaysia's Islamic finance marketplace, - www.mifc.com - showcases the Expertise, Innovation and Deal Flows that are emanating from Malaysia's Islamic finance marketplace. Bank Negara Malaysia 1 August 2013