INCEIF Knowledge Repository (INCEIF University)
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Dividend policy: the case of Shariah-compliant firms
No full textCapital structure serves as an important device for mitigation of agency conflicts and, although firms combine debt and cash dividends to address the agency conflicts, debt is preferred as a bonding device by many managers due to its lower cost as compared to equity (John, Knyazeva & Knyazeva, 2015). However, shariah-compliant firms (SCF) cannot use this device due to prohibition of interest-bearing loans in Islam. In this scenario, the dividend payout policy becomes a highly important tool of corporate governance for shariah-compliant investors. Moreover, the managers of these firms cannot maintain stable dividends by issuing bonds and, therefore, the dividend policy of such firms would be different. This chapter highlights the dividend payout behaviour of SCF by comparing them to conventional firms
Rethinking Islamic economics
No full textThe emergence of Islamic viewpoints on economic issues under the umbrella of Islamic economics has captivated much interest especially in its practical manifestation in Islamic banking and finance. In light of the failure of mainstream economics to address many pressing issues, and hence the need for alternative views, this paper offers assessments of Islamic economics whether (i) it is relevant to this need, (ii) it has progressed to the extent that it has been made to become relevant, and (iii) it is also in need of reform. While I argue that Islamic economics is relevant, it falls short of expectations on the second issue. The major reasons being: (a) the lack of progress in Islamic economics theory, (b) the similarity of Islamic economic practices in the forms of Islamic finance to conventional finance, and (c) its limited ability thus far to embrace multi-perspective views. On the basis of these, I conclude that Islamic economics is also in need of reform
Sukuk shehama
No full textSukuk shehama is a financial instrument that has only recently emerged. It is a form of government-issued Islamic bond (sukuk) based on musharakah which is found in Sudan but can be easily replicated in any other country. Each certificate carries a nominal value that is calculated in dinars and represents a share of the net investment allocated by the government for this purpose from the selected investment units. Shehama certificates are issued at different times from 6 months to one year. These certificates are issued in multiple categories 50 thousand dinars - 100 thousand dinars - 200 thousand dinars - 500 thousand dinars so that different categories of investors can buy any number of certificates of any amount. The profit is distributed to the owners of the certificates based on their shares in the net equity over the period of the partnership
The investment account platform: a practical application of fintech in Malaysia
No full textThe launching of Malaysia's investment account platform (IAP) in 2016 marked another important milestone in positioning Malaysia as a leader in the Islamic banking industry. For the first time in Malaysian history, six competitive Islamic banks collectively collaborated to initiate and launch the IAP. The multi-bank platform offers multiple ventures or investment avenues for investors to invest in, and financing options and opportunities for ventures to choose from, via the intermediation of the sponsoring banks. The platform that leverages on the advance and innovative financial technology system, or fintech, offers a safe and regulated investment ecosystem with better outreach and enhanced visibility to the ventures while the investors enjoy a greater transparency and disclosure on the listed ventures (Investment Account Platform, 2016). The IAP has introduced a new innovative asset class into the Islamic financial market. Its introduction has developed and strengthened the Malaysian Islamic financial market by garnering investments from institutions as well as retail, which includes high net worth individual investors (Razak, 2015)
Blockdentity: a future beyond digital identity
No full textThe last trillion-dollar industry was built on a code of 1s and 0s and the next will be built on genetic codes. Well, who knows? It's no longer unthinkable. Traditional economics had maintained that factors of production comprised of land, labour and capital. While that may still be true, it is only valid in certains ways, today; just as was the case once upon a time, when land was the raw material for the agricultural age. It only lasted for a period before the inevitable change, and iron became the new raw material for the next age the industrial age. Today, we live in the information age, where technology has taken charge and data is its raw material. More specifically, identity data is the focal point of data structures and dimensions. This is well corroborated in one of the opening statements of the recently implemented General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). As emphasised by Voigt and Von dem Bussche (2017), (t)he processing of personal data should be designed to serve mankind. The world that we live in today, and the way that we conduct business transactions, has changed incredibly from the past decades, and all thanks to a deep-reaching digital transformation ushered in by the information age. This transformation has proliferated into all human interactions and is feeding a demand for innovation and advancement, while introducing a new form of identity digital identity and challenging the traditional ways of day-to-day transaction
Modified reverse salam product as an innovative alternative for mobilizing fixed deposits in jurisdictions with limited Sharia compliant investment avenues to promote financial inclusion
No full textWith the fintech (financial technology) solutions available in the market today, innovative ways to provide financial inclusion is needed. However, the most critical challenge in the arena is the limited availability of sharia-compliant investment avenues in some of the jurisdictions of the world where Islamic banking and finance has not yet fully taken off. The main objective of this research is to introduce a universally accepted mechanism using salam, one of the least used Islamic finance contracts in Islamic commercial banking for mobilizing fixed deposits. This will be ideal to be used in jurisdictions with limited sharia-compliant avenues. This is exploratory legal research that aims to provide an adequate and effective product for the jurisdictions that aspires to have a sophisticated fixed return guaranteed investment products structured in a sharia-compliant manner. Simultaneously, the proposed product in this research will serve the less privileged community of the society whose commodities can be used as an underlying asset in structuring the product. However, this social impact of the product will differ depending on the jurisdiction in which it is applied and the decision of the financial institution in which the product is offered as it is there discretionary power to choose the underlying commodity used in the transaction. Fintech can also be fused with the suggested product, and as such, the product can be easily used by the population in physically remote locations in a convenient manner
Shariah committees and Shariah governance
No full textThis chapter discusses some challenges of Shariah Committees In Islamic financial institutions in dispensing their responsibilities in mitigating the non-compliance risks. The concept of shariah governance has its foundation in the Qur'an and the Sunnah. Shariah (which literally means "the way") is the divinely ordained guidelines of conduct for Muslims in all aspects of their life, which includes financial matters. Any form of transaction, irrespective of financial or otherwise, must be free of any element of injustice to the transacting parties. For financial transactions, any elemerit or form of activity that could be construed as 'riba' or injustice to any of the participants in the transaction is absolutely forbidden. The objective is to ensure that the operations of Islamic Financial Institutions (lFIs) are shariah compliant, failing which will result in loss of confidence and credibility that will impede the future growth of Islamic finance Industry
A strategy to rejuvenate Islamic finance
No full textThe Islamic banking and finance (IBF) sector appears to be at a crossroads. Over the last three decades, growth has been impressive, with total assets estimated at about US$2 trillion (RM8.32 trillion). Looking back, this impressive early growth appears to have been the low hanging fruit. Rapid growth came from filling an existing latent demand. Geographically speaking, even this early growth has been uneven. Growth had been most impressive in countries such as Malaysia and Bahrain, but slower in larger nations such as Turkey, Indonesia and even Saudi Arabia, where it has only recently begun to make an impact. In much of the Arab world, countries like Egypt, Tunisia and the like, IBF is yet to make a serious presence. Where IBF has succeeded, government support and favourable policymaking has made the difference
The effectiveness of the bank lending channel: the role of banks' market power and business model
No full textThis paper examines the effectiveness of the bank lending channel in a dual banking system in Malaysia, where both conventional and Islamic banks operate alongside each other. It also investigates the impact of bank competition on lending channels in financial systems. Using panel data from both Islamic and conventional banks in Malaysia, our findings indicate the ineffectiveness of the bank lending channel. Further, the empirical results suggest that the impact of monetary policy on bank lending does not depend on bank competition. In other words, the effectiveness of the lending transmission channel does not depend on the market power of the individual banks. Furthermore, the effectiveness of the lending channel appears to be independent of whether the bank is Islamic or conventional. This result is probably explained by the fact that the vast majority of Islamic banks in Malaysia are subsidiaries of conventional banks. Policymakers therefore do not need to differentiate between conventional and Islamic banks in regard to the effectiveness of the bank lending channel
Financial & governance dilemma at Koperasi Social Finance Malaysia Berhad: an analysis
No full textThis case study is written anonymously based on a real organization that exists in the industry and we examine the internal and external environment of the Koperasi. Few key issues are found such as poor performance of Koperasi, few business activities are not generating enough profit and returns of investment, lack of credibility, capabilities and accountability among the BODs as well as risk management issues