The global economy is expected to remain weak following the synchronized recession in the advanced economies. While there is significant uncertainty on the prospects for recovery, the stimulus measures being implemented across the globe and the measures to address the financial crisis in the advanced economies are expected to contribute to improving conditions in the second half of this year. However, should there be further delays in addressing the impairment of the financial systems in the crisis affected countries, this would be a risk to the economic recovery process. This would in turn continue to have significant spillover effects on the rest of the world. Whilst Malaysia has successfully maintained the stability of its financial system during this period of uncertainty, the economy is not insulated from these global developments. Despite the high degree of openness of our economy, Malaysian businesses are however, less leveraged with significantly less foreign financial exposures and therefore better able to cope with the effects of the global economic downturn. During this recent decade, Malaysia has aggressively implemented measures to promote domestic demand as a driver for growth and thus achieve a more balanced growth. While the export sector is still important, the significance of domestic demand has gradually increased. In this current environment, the Malaysian Government has implemented a significant fiscal stimulus to sustain domestic demand. Following the reduction in interest rates, retail borrowing costs have declined to new historical lows.
The measures to enhance access to financing are also reinforced by the provision of financial advisory services and by developing channels for redress by borrowers. The BNM LINK and TELELINK established by Bank Negara Malaysia and the ABM-Connect that has been set up by the Association of Banks in Malaysia serve as important conduits for greater interface between the banks and the borrowers. These measures are also complemented by the institutional framework to deal with problem loans in the retail and business segments. The Small Debt Resolution Scheme (SDRS), which was created in 2003 to facilitate the restructuring and rescheduling of credit facilities for small businesses has now been expanded to include all viable SMEs facing financial difficulties with financing from multiple financial institutions. Importance of Information Credit Bureaus Malaysia has been ranked number one in the world in terms of access to credit by the World Bank in 2008. Despite its favourable assessment, efforts will continue to be intensified to ensure that this access continues, particularly during this more challenging and uncertain time. The establishment of the SME Credit Bureau is one of these measures. The SME Credit Bureau is a vital element in the information credit bureau industry. SMEs are thus encouraged to maintain and compile the required information so as to enhance their potential access to credit. SMEs are expected to benefit greatly from the services of the SME Credit Bureau. Firstly, the SME Credit Bureau empowers SMEs to build their credit reputation from a wide range of transaction behaviors.