Noripah Kamso, former chairwoman of Bank Rakyat, explains to Kimberley Long how Islamic finance could become mainstream if it prioritises its environmental and social credentials.
Asia-Pacific
Latest articles from Malaysia
Malaysia’s top five banks in recovery mode
November 13, 2018Malaysia’s banks are gradually rebounding, following a few difficult years with plummeting oil prices and a poorly performing currency. Joy Macknight reports.

Zeti Akhtar Aziz: why Asia will be ready for the next crisis
September 1, 2017The former governor of Malaysia’s central bank underlines the need to build resilience to manage future shocks to the global financial system, highlighting Asia’s comprehensive policy response after the 1997 financial crisis.

CEO fine-tunes Maybank's business at home and abroad
May 2, 2017Maybank’s president and CEO, Abdul Farid Alias, tells Stefania Palma how the lender is refining asset and liability management in its home market of Malaysia while growing in south-east Asian markets such as Indonesia.

Pemandu chief takes Malaysia down moderate path
May 2, 2017The CEO of Malaysia’s Performance Management and Delivery Unit, more commonly known as Pemandu, tells Stefania Palma how his decision to avoid a high-leverage economic model is benefiting the country.
Malaysia's shot in the arm for Islamic wealth management
April 3, 2017While Islamic finance is popular within Malaysia, concerns have been voiced about the country's sluggish growth as an international centre. To combat this, regulators in the country are pinning their hopes on sharia-compliant fund and wealth management. Stefania Palma reports.

Cautious optimism prevails at 2016 Asian Development Bank meeting
June 1, 2016After a turbulent 2015, faith in Asia’s economies was strong at the Asian Development Bank annual meeting in Frankfurt, despite falling exchange rates and capital outflows. Stefania Palma reports.

Top 100 Asean banks ranking 2016: Vietnam on the rise
April 1, 2016Vietnam is on its way to becoming a heavyweight presence in south-east Asia, with the top ranking for asset growth, while Indonesia retains its crown as the most profitable country in the region.
TPP to benefit a third of global economy
October 12, 2015
Signatories hope the landmark trade deal will bolster trade worldwide after a tepid recovery from the crisis.

Malaysia's great balancing act
September 1, 2015Watching the success of its Asian counterparts acted as the catalyst for Malaysia to rethink its economy, reducing its dependence on natural resources and putting greater faith in the private sector, all while reducing government spending and keeping debt to a manageable level. The country's minister without portfolio, Idris Jala, describes the plan's progress.