It is from this perspective that an incentive package is being considered by the Bank to subsidize the costs related to minimum professional qualifications for FAs. We hope that it will entice more agents to consider upgrading themselves to become successful FAs. Growing demand for independent financial advisory services As our economy continues its track towards high income nation status, and as our society becomes more affluent and discerning, we envisage an increasing demand and preference for high-quality, independent and personalized advisory services among financially-savvy consumers. Apart from rising levels of disposable income and financial sophistication, Malaysians are expected to live longer now than ever before. It is projected that by 2040, 17% of the Malaysian population will live beyond the age of 60 years old compared to about only 8% of the total population in 2010. This creates the need for more effective long-term financial planning on the part of consumers to ensure they have sufficient funds to see them through their golden years. In this respect, as part of the Government’s initiative to encourage savings among Malaysians to better prepare for their retirement, the Government had announced a tax relief of RM3,000 for individuals who have bought an annuity plan for the next 10 years commencing in 2012. 2  BIS central bankers’ speeches  An increased competition within the financial sector and evolving demographic structures has also led to the introduction of new and more complex financial products offered by financial service providers.
Muhammad bin Ibrahim: Charting new frontiers – financial advisers the future Keynote address by Mr Muhammad bin Ibrahim, Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Malaysia, at the Inaugural Conference of the Association of Financial Advisers “Charting new frontiers – financial advisers the future”, Kuala Lumpur, 31 October 2012. *  *  *  I would like to congratulate the Association and its members for your commitment, which has resulted in the successful formation of the AFA to champion and promote the interests of all licensed financial advisers in Malaysia. The formation of AFA is most timely, and marks a significant milestone in the progressive maturing of the financial advisory industry. Since the introduction of FAs in 2005, we have seen commendable growth within the industry, with the number of licensed FAs rising from 2 to 17, and the number of licensed FA representatives increasing from 17 to 229 today. The formation of the AFA is timely as it provides a platform to encourage greater collaboration among FAs to instill greater professionalism among its members and I expect the AFA to play an important role in coming up with clear strategies to propel the financial advisory sector towards greater progress and growth. Developments in the insurance and takaful sectors There are some broad developments within the economy and the financial sector that will expand the opportunity for growth in the provision of independent financial advisory services.