KUALA LUMPUR: To boost Malaysia’s capital market position in the region, the country needs to revive its infrastructure project listing, set up digital infrastructure funds and increase cooperation with neighbouring countries, said Institute for Capital Market Research Malaysia (ICMR) chairman Tan Sri Munir Majid.
He believes that it is opportune for Malaysia to participate in infrastructure project listing, particularly in China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), as it “fulfils absolute need for infrastructure like water, power, bridges and roads”, which could be financed through possible collaboration with the Shanghai Stock Exchange or other stock exchanges.
“We used to do infrastructure project listing and we still have it here, but now nothing is happening, so (we should) revive it through the BRI route,” he told reporters at the inaugural ICMR-SIDC Capital Markets Industry-University Talent Bridging Conference here today.
In addition, he suggested the setting up of digital infrastructure funds that can be listed, whereby investors are able to invest into funds which are geared towards digital projects.
“You have (real estate investment trusts) REITs and so on, but something directed, specific to the digital industries (or) non digital industry … two possible ideas, to try to make the market more interesting,” Munir said.
He also said that Malaysia needs to forge stronger cooperation with other countries and regions, to enhance interest towards its capital market.
“They can get more interested in our markets if we started doing more training and more intimate relationships, more exchanges with other countries … capital market jurisdictions.
“We must leverage our Asean membership to project the goodwill of Malaysia, enhance greater cooperation in terms of currencies and consistently be involved in projects in Asean,” he added.