KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia has usable reserve assets worth USD97.67 billion (RM410 billion) and foreign currency assets worth USD616.2 million as at end-September 2016, according to Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM).
The reserves will be more than sufficient to finance 8.5 months of retained imports. BNM said for the next 12 months, the pre-determined short-term outflows of foreign currency loans arising from scheduled repayment of external borrowings by the government would amount to USD242.3 million.
In line with the practice adopted since April 2006, the data exclude projected foreign currency inflows arising from interest income and the drawdown of project loans amounting to USD2.36 billion in the next 12 months, says a report in The Sun.
“The only contingent short-term net drain on foreign currency assets are government guarantees of foreign debt due within one year, amounting to USD80.6 million.
“There are no foreign currency loans with embedded options, no undrawn, unconditional credit lines provided by or to other central banks, international organisations, banks and other financial institutions. BNM also does not engage in foreign currency options vis-a-vis ringgit,” said BNM.
