jessica chew cheng lian : credit reporting and risk management training welcoming and opening address by ms jessica chew cheng lian, assistant governor of the central bank of malaysia, at the third credit reporting and risk management training, kuala lumpur, 26 september 2011. * * * it is my great pleasure to welcome you to malaysia and to the third series of the workshop on “ credit reporting and risk management training ”, jointly organised by the international finance corporation ( ifc ) and bank negara malaysia. this annual workshop has provided an important platform for experts from the different parts of the world to exchange views and experiences on developments in the credit registry landscape and the role of credit registries in preserving financial stability and in contributing towards economic and social development. indeed, centralised credit information registries, or credit bureaus, are a critical part of the infrastructure that facilitates and enables the efficient expansion and outreach of credit intermediation in an economy. this is now well - supported by empirical evidence. a wellfunctioning credit bureau serves as a lubricant to the intermediation process by overcoming one of the fundamental challenges with any credit market, that is the asymmetry of information between lenders and borrowers. the wider use of credit information can make an important contribution to prudent financial management, not just among borrowers by minimising incidences of excessive borrowings, but also among lenders by encouraging greater discipline during periods of exuberance when lenders may be tempted by rapid rises in asset prices and perverse incentives, to throw caution to the wind. it also has an important role in promoting access to financing for various segments of the society. borrowers who maintain a good credit history and demonstrate strong financial discipline are able to leverage on such “ reputational collateral ” to secure borrowings at more favourable terms and rates. credit registries have also been used extensively to support enhanced banking and financial market supervision. there can be little doubt, particularly after the events of the sub - prime mortgage crisis, that the accumulation of credit that is premised on informed credit decisions, whether taken at an individual, institutional or system - wide level, will contribute to the stability of the overall financial system. while the collection of credit information on borrowers in malaysia started many years ago, it was not until the aftermath of the asian financial crisis that a centralised credit information registry was realised. the crisis proved to be a defining moment for malaysia on several fronts and was instrumental in advancing critical reforms in

zamani abdul ghani : malaysia - an investment destination speech by mr zamani abdul ghani, deputy governor of the central bank of malaysia, at the investorsa€™ conference, kuala lumpur, 22 june 2005. * * * bismillahirrahmanirrahim your excellencies, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, assalamualaikum warahmatullah hiwabarakatuh and good morning, first of all, allow me to welcome all of you to this conference on " malaysia : an investment destination " held in conjunction with the 30th idb board of governors'meeting. we are most heartened that there are representatives here this morning from more than one hundred global financial institutions and from over thirty countries. i would like to welcome all of you to malaysia especially those who are here for the first time. i hope you have had a good rest after a journey from your respective countries because we have a very special program waiting for you. indeed it is a great honour to be given the privilege to host this historic conference. the theme for the conference " malaysia : an investment destination " is a fitting choice as we would highlight to you a wide range of investment opportunities available for you in malaysia. this theme is most appropriate given a fast changing global and regional financial landscape, driven by financial liberalization and consolidation, economic transformation and more discerning and demanding investors. ladies and gentlemen, we will do our best to ensure that this conference will be rewarding and useful for you. over this twoday period, we have lined up a panel of distinguished speakers, including the honourable prime minister of malaysia himself as well as governor of bank negara malaysia. the invited speakers are from various prestigious institutions, domestic and international with unique expertise and experiences. you can be rest assured that the speakers we are bringing to you are renowned in their own field and their views are well sought after by global investors and the financial fraternity. the major highlight of this conference is the keynote address by the honourable dato'seri abdullah bin haji ahmad badawi, the prime minister of malaysia who is also the finance minister. his address will offer invaluable insights into malaysia's policy and strategies to sustain its strong growth performance. the next significant highlight of this conference is a speech by tan sri dato'seri dr. zeti akhtar aziz, the governor of bank negara malaysia, who will touch on investment opportunities in malaysia in an evolving global environment. this