It also offers enhanced opportunities for raising financing and would also facilitate greater risk diversification. In particular, the strong growth performance in these regions create a significant potential demand for financial instruments that conform to the Islamic injunctions. These dynamic regions can therefore be expected to contribute towards accelerating the expansion of Islamic finance in the international financial system. Indeed, these trends will also contribute towards promoting a more balanced global growth. The participation in the Islamic finance intermediation process would require the development of a comprehensive and well established Islamic financial system, a wide range of products and services; a good legal system, adequate financial infrastructure with competitive tax structures, low cost of doing business, high standards of business ethics, and conducive living conditions and cultural offerings. It would also need to be supported by adequate human talents that would drive the business and spur innovation. In addition, a strong regulatory regime in the Islamic financial system would be another pull factor. More recently, the regulatory regime in Islamic finance has been further reinforced by rapid progress on the issuance of prudential and supervisory standards by the Islamic Financial Services Board (IFSB). Fund raising, investments and risk diversification are essentially complex transactions. These transactions are highly dependent on financial markets that are well regulated and capable of evolving to meet the emerging new challenges and the changing market needs.
There is no withholding tax on the profit realised from investments in these ringgit denominated bonds. The International Finance Corporation and the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development have since issued their first ever Islamic bond issuances in Malaysia. The total issuance amounted to RM1.3 billion, all of which were over subscribed. A portion of these papers was purchased by non-resident investors, indicating foreign interest in the ringgit denominated instruments. On the availability of credible and timely information, the Malaysian regulatory framework, reinforced with the adoption of best practices, has created an environment of greater transparency and richness in financial market information. The financial regulators provide extensive information about the Malaysian economy and Malaysian financial system, including regulatory requirements. The Bank also has put in place several websites that provide market information on the issues that are available for the market participants. Finally, on the capacity for diversification and risk management in the Islamic financial system, while being relatively small compared to the conventional system, it is expected to expand as the financial system strengthens and as new products are introduced. In the context of this financial infrastructure, the Malaysian Islamic financial system is both robust and fast growing. The market has highly diversified players, with Islamic banks, investment banks, takaful companies, development financial institutions, savings institutions, fund management companies, stock brokers and unit trusts. The Malaysian Islamic financial market has already introduced a variety of Islamic financial hedging instruments, including the Islamic profit rate swap, Islamic cross-currency swap and Islamic forward rate agreement.