Wednesday, July 01, 2009

Islamic finance profit margin too high – Hadi

KUALA LUMPUR, July 1 —Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang (PAS-Marang) today called for a review on the implementation of the Islamic financial system in the country, saying the profit margin from loans provided under the system was too high.

He said the margin did not differ much with the conventional financial system, thus defeating the purpose of having a separate system.

Although the system was free of “riba” or interest, it was too profit-oriented, he added.

“This is not how the Islamic financial system should be operated because the basis for its implementation is to help those in need.

“In this context, the borrowers are the ones in need of help as they had to resort to borrowing. They should be assisted and not be taken advantage of,” he said when debating the Bank Negara Malaysia Bill 2009 in the Dewan Rakyat.

Abdul Hadi said the government should do something to make the country’s Islamic financial system a truly people-oriented arrangement and to counter the negative perception that it was similar to the conventional system.

No comments: