By Kasmiah Mustapha
KUALA LUMPUR, Tues. - Bank Negara today announced further relaxation of capital
controls by introducing a single 10 per cent levy on all profits from foreign portfolio
investments, replacing the two-tier system introduced in February.
The announcement was greeted with cheer in the Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange where
share prices ended 4.1 per cent higher with the benchmark Composite Index of 100
quality stocks closing 29.27 points higher at 739.30.
Strong buying support of blue chip counters such as Malayan Banking Bhd, Tenaga Nasional
Bhd and Telekom Malaysia Bhd lent considerable weight to the upsurge.
In a statement, Bank Negara governor Tan Sri Ali Abul Hassan Sulaiman said: "All
profits from funds brought in on or after Feb 15 this year are subjected to a levy
of 10 per cent, irrespective of when the profits are repatriated."
Under the two-tier system, funds that came in on or after Feb 15, 1999 were subjected
to a 30 per cent levy on profit made and repatriated within one year.
Profits repatriated after one year attracted a levy of 10 per cent.
Ali Abul Hassan said with the changes, the Government had addressed all the administrative
issues raised by foreign fund managers on the levy system.
Foreign fund managers, particularly unit trust managers, had appealed to the Government
to reconsider the two-tier levy system saying it created problems in computing prices
and determining the amount of levy applicable to their investment.
This is particularly so for fund managers who make continuous investment in Malaysia
and repatriate their profits regularly.
Ali Abul Hassan said the change in the levy system would also facilitate the merging
of two external accounts - normal external account and special external account -
into one.
To facilitate the accounts' merger, foreign funds that were brought in between Sept
1, 1998 and Feb 14, 1999 would be deemed as funds that have been brought into the
country since Sept 1, 1998.
Therefore, the funds would not be subjected to any levy on the principal amount.
Meanwhile, Malaysian Investors' Association president Dr P.H.S. Lim said with the
removal of the 30 per cent levy on capital gains, more foreign investors, especially
the pension fund managers could show interest in the Malaysian capital market.
In a statement, Lim said the association welcomed the Government's move to lower
the levy to 10 per cent from 30 per cent.
In fact in its memorandum to First Finance Minister Tun Daim Zainuddin and in the
pre-Budget dialogue with Second Finance Minister Datuk Mustapa Mohamed, Lim said
he had strongly advocated the lowering of the levy.
"Ten per cent is reasonable as 30 per cent is too high. Apart from the 30 per
cent levy, foreign investors had to meet other expenses relating to brokerage fees,
foreign exchange differences and other cost.
"One had to make more than 35 per cent in order to meet the 30 per cent levy
on profits," he added.
Pesaka Jardine Fleming Sdn Bhd head of research, Stephen Weller, when asked to comment
on the
revision, said that it would certainly be an encouragement for foreign investment
flowing back into the country.
"The 10 per cent levy imposed now is acceptable and comparable to other global
markets."
Article extracted from New Straits Times, Malaysia
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