Here a particular effort should be made to explain all the decisions adopted by the different levels of government in Spain that have been well-received and valued by the markets, such as structural reforms, pension reform and the recent Organic Law on Budgetary Stability, among others. There should likewise be a common effort, in the interest of all sectors of the Spanish economy, to disseminate and address in depth the additional measures that should shortly be adopted to tackle the crisis. There is no more important or pressing task in the short term than to restore lost confidence. And here, collaboration is called for by politicians and economic and social agents in positions of responsibility, and by all institutions with economic policymaking responsibilities. BIS central bankers’ speeches  5  A fundamental determinant of confidence is the credibility of regulatory and supervisory institutions, based on their ability to exercise their powers professionally and independently. This is always an essential element of a country’s economic reputation, but all the more so when confidence has been called into question and the recovery in growth depends on the external financing of its economy. Adam Smith observed in his famous work that the wealth of nations was then closely related to how open their trade was. And today we can see how the richest and most democratically sound countries in the world are those that have competent and independent regulatory and supervisory agencies that act as a counterweight to governments potentially succumbing to interventionist temptations.
While at one end of the spectrum, the case is being made that there is no other alternative to the market to generate an efficient functioning financial system, at the other end of the spectrum the call is for a more interventionist regime. The solution lies in a balance between these, and the avoidance of an over reaction in addressing weaknesses and excesses that have been built over an extended period of time. Equally important is to recognise that for markets to function efficiently, institutional and market infrastructure need to be well developed. The incentive structure, the rules of the game, the transparency and the levels of financial literacy also needs to be in place. When these elements are still yet to be developed, as in many emerging economies, it increases the risk to financial stability. For advanced financial systems, however, when the institutional structures and rules became deficient and less relevant, it is necessary for them to be changed. In essence, the environment has become highly dynamic requiring regular regulatory reinvention. Let me turn to the approach adopted by Bank Negara Malaysia. The recent global developments will not fundamentally alter the main tenets of our approach to the regulation and supervision of financial institutions in Malaysia. It will continue to be a balance between rules-based and principles-based regulation. The principles-based approach is more likely to produce more efficient market outcomes, better risk-alignment and socially responsible behaviour.