Muhammad bin Ibrahim: Challenges in compiling and communicating statistics in Malaysia Opening remarks by Mr Muhammad bin Ibrahim, Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Malaysia, at the National Statistics Conference (MyStats 2012), Kuala Lumpur, 9 November 2012. *  *  *  Saya berbesar hati untuk mengalu-alukan kepada semua yang hadir pada persidangan yang julung-julung kali diadakan ini, MyStats 2012, yang memperlihatkan sekali lagi kejayaan dalam usaha kerjasama di antara Jabatan Perangkaan Malaysia dengan Bank Negara Malaysia. Saya juga amat gembira dan berbangga dengan sokongan yang ditunjukkan oleh para peserta yang mengambil bahagian hari ini, yang terdiri daripada sektor swasta dan sektor awam, pengguna dan perangkawan statistik, di samping rakan-rakan saya daripada Irving Fisher Committee on Central Bank Statistics (IFC). Dengan kehadiran kumpulan yang mempunyai pelbagai kepentingan ini, saya yakin forum ini akan menjadi platform yang amat sesuai untuk kita berkongsi pandangan, bertukar-tukar pengetahuan dan pengalaman tentang statistik, dan akhirnya memperoleh manfaat besar daripada persidangan ini. I am pleased to welcome all of you to this inaugural conference, MyStats 2012, a collaborative effort between Department of Statistics Malaysia and Bank Negara Malaysia. I am also very encouraged by the strong support from all of you present here today, representing both the private and public sectors, users and compilers of statistics, and Executives members from the Irving Fisher Committee on Central Bank Statistics (IFC). With such a diversified interest group, I believe this forum will be an important platform for us to share views, exchange statistical knowledge and experiences.

Zeti Akhtar Aziz: Strengthening Malaysia’s financial system Speech by Dr Zeti Akhtar Aziz, Governor of the Central Bank of Malaysia, at the launch of the Finance Accreditation Agency, Kuala Lumpur, 6 September 2013. *  *  *  It is my great pleasure to join you this morning on the occasion of the launch of the Finance Accreditation Agency. The establishment of the Finance Accreditation Agency (FAA) is part of the efforts to strengthen the financial system as it continues to evolve in a rapidly changing environment. The change in our financial system in this recent decade since the Asian financial crisis has been transformational. It has encompassed major structural reforms in the banking sector, the development of a deep and vibrant securities market which has now assumed a key role in financial intermediation, the growth of Islamic finance and the modernisation of the insurance sector. The regulatory and supervisory structure and approach has also evolved to become more risk-focused, more aligned with efficient capital and financial markets, and less reliant on prescriptive and direct controls. This has fostered greater innovation and competition in our financial system, while preserving strong incentives for prudent risk-taking. This has been reinforced through the supervisory oversight and increased market transparency. The evolution of business and distribution models has followed, with significant gains achieved in efficiency, greater financial inclusion and a more dynamic and responsive financial industry to better serve the economy.