The Unassuming Economist

The IMF’s latest report on Malaysia says that:

“Measures could be considered to mitigate risks to financial stability. For the housing (…) market, possible measures could include risk weights and lending limits targeting the construction sector, and measures encouraging developers to lease the housing stock that remains unsold for an extended period. To encourage the rental market, the authorities could look into reforming the regulations pertaining to rents and tenant-landlord relationships or granting developers tax exemptions for rental income on leasing units, within the context of the approved government budget envelope. On mortgage lending, sector-wide LTVs (on the second and first properties) and debt service to income limits could supplement the ones that are presently selfimposed by the banks, complementing the existing limit for borrowers with income under 3,000 ringgits per month. Strong economic conditions offer a good window of opportunity for the above policy adjustments.”