Malaysia says no timetable for new Islamic bond issue
AFP, Putrajaya, Malaysia
Malaysia has no immediate plans to issue a second global Islamic bond sale despite a successful 600 million dollar issuing in 2002, Second Finance Minister Nor Mohamed Yakcop said Thursday. "The first Sukuk, Islamic bond, was very successful. Raising a second Islamic bond will depend on the needs of the country," he told reporters on the sidelines of the two-day Islamic Development Bank governors meeting. "At this point of time, a second Sukuk is not on the calendar," he said, responding to market expectations that another round would be in the offing. In June 2002, Malaysia sold 600 million dollars of five-year bonds based on Islamic law. It was the first US-dollar debt to be sold by a government in line with the Islamic ban on the payment or receipt of interest. Malaysia has so far relied on the domestic sale of bonds to fund its budget deficit. But it has vowed to reduce its deficit, estimated at about 17.6 billion ringgit (4.6 billion dollars) this year or 3.8 percent of gross domestic product, by cutting development projects and reducing fuel subsidies.
|
|