Malaysia’s sukuk market to grow 10 per cent in 2014-2015

KUALA LUMPUR: Sukuk issuance in the Malaysian market is expected to see steady growth of around 10 per cent during 2014 to 2015, says Moody’s Investors Service.

Its Asean corporate finance group managing director, Philipp Lotter, said this was in line with Moody’s positive view on the long-term growth trends in the global sukuk market.

“Given the deep local capital markets and strong support from the government, Malaysia will remain the world’s largest sukuk market for the foreseeable future although regional and global competition will develop over the next two to three years,” Lotter said in a statement yesterday.

He said some two-thirds of the approximately US$290 billion outstanding sukuk was issued in Malaysia.

“We expect the remaining one-third to stay fragmented because a growing number of new and emerging sukuk issuance markets, such as Indonesia, Singapore and Hong Kong are tapping into this fast-growing asset class although Saudi Arabia is showing strong domestic potential,” he added.

Moody’s analysis is contained in its just-released report titled “Malaysian Sukuk Market: Issuance To Show Steady Growth To 2015.” The report said growth in Malaysia’s sukuk market would be driven by few key factors such as sovereign and related issuers.

Private sector corporates seeking to raise the necessary funding to execute the government’s investment blueprint aimed at attracting US$444 billion in investments from 2010-2020 under the country’s economic transformation programme would also drive sukuk issuance.

The report pointed out that international issuances in Malaysia accounted for less than 10 per cent of the US$178 billion in total outstanding sukuk.

Moody’s expected issuance volume to remain dominated by local-currency transactions in the near future with the increase in international foreign-currency sukuk issuances in the Gulf region.

However, it said the larger more creditworthy issuers in Malaysia would look to diversify their funding and tap the global markets in 2014-2015.

The report further indicated that over the last decade, the increasing acceptance and popularity of sukuk among domestic investors in Malaysia had resulted in a substantial growth in issuance volume.

Annual issuance of Malaysian sukuk grew at a compounded annual growth rate of 22 per cent to US$33 billion in 2013 from US$3 billion in 2001

(Borneo Post Online / 06 June 2014)

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Alfalah Consulting - Kuala Lumpur: www.alfalahconsulting.com
Consultant-Speaker-Motivator: www.ahmad-sanusi-husain.com
Islamic Investment Malaysia: www.islamic-invest-malaysia.com

Zakat is better than taxes

Friday, June 06, 2014 - An Islamic state cannot impose any taxes upon its Muslim citizens, besides Zakat. As far as the non-Muslims living in an Islamic state are concerned, they become citizens of an Islamic state through an agreement between themselves and the Islamic state. Taxes upon these non-Muslims shall be governed by that agreement, which was mutually agreed upon. In view of the explanation, imposition of Income tax, Wealth tax and all other direct or indirect taxes, by an Islamic state upon its Muslim citizens, is not in accordance with the directives of the Islamic Shari‘ah.

The history of Zakat is the same as that of Salaah. It is evident from the Qur’an that like Salaah its directive always existed in the Shari’ah of the previous Prophets. When the Almighty asked the Muslims to pay it, it was not something unknown to them. All the followers of the religion of Ibraham (AS) were fully aware of it. For this very reason Surah Al-Ma’arij (70:25) describes it as “A specified right.” Thus it was a pre-existing Sunnah which the Prophet (peace be upon him), with necessary reformations, upheld at behest of the Almighty.

There is a clear difference between Zakat and Taxation. Zakat is the only tax an Islamic government can impose upon its Muslim citizens. It is not merely a charity fund but can be spent on the collective needs of the people as well: The zakat money can be used to pay the salaries of all government officials including that of the head of state, to build all works of public interest, to cater for defence requirements and to establish an Islamic system of Insurance. In short, the system of zakat envisaged by the Qur’ân and Sunnah totally meets the requirements of running a welfare state.

The right of a state to levy taxes on its public, in particular, has created an unending rift between the rulers and the ruled. An institution which apparently began as a voluntary contribution by the people to relieve a few individuals of their financial responsibilities and entrust them with the development and progress of their collectivity gradually became the most effective means of their own exploitation and persecution. 

In my opinion, the total elimination of interest in the economy and the imposition of the true concept of zakat will not only generate enough money to meet the running expenses of the state but a considerable amount for development as well. However, a major part of the revenue for development would be obtained by means of all state owned enterprises whose management would be transfered to the private sector through either or both of the two modes: (i) selling a certain quantity of shares to the private sector, (ii) imposing kharaaj (tribute) on the party of the private sector which is entrusted with the job of management.

As we have seen one of the major objectives of Zakat is poverty alleviation. The issue is can Zakat be spent on Non-Muslims for this purpose. Though a number of Jurists have viewed that Zakat can be spent on non-Muslims, the majority view is that for poverty alleviation of Non-Muslims non-Zakat resources should be spent. There is no disagreement on the point that poverty alleviation and welfare of non-Muslims is an important concern for an Islamic state. In my view Zakat receipt would be sufficient in most of the countries which have attained mid-level development in making provision for the poor and the unemployed. It may not be sufficient in some countries where there is massive poverty. These countries need other resources to tackle the problem of poverty.

Zakat and tax are not same. Zakat is very small part of yearly income while tax is a huge share of monthly income one earns. Zakat is the due share of total amount to be paid once within one Islamic year. While tax is what is counted in total in one fiscal year but it is paid on every commodity as well as paid as taxes specified by govt. in every legal and authorized act or buying or selling. Zakat eradicates poverty while tax increases in many folds. Hence, people pay taxes happily but they avoid paying zakat which is lesser than taxes and better in use than the taxes.

(Pakistan Observer / 06 June 2014)

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Alfalah Consulting - Kuala Lumpur: www.alfalahconsulting.com
Consultant-Speaker-Motivator: www.ahmad-sanusi-husain.com
Islamic Investment Malaysia: www.islamic-invest-malaysia.com