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Objectives Of BAFIA

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THE BANKING AND FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS ACT, 1989
Introduction

The objective of the Banking & Financial Institutions Act, 1989 (BAFIA) is "to provide new laws for the licensing and regulation of the institutions carrying on banking, finance company, merchant banking, discount house and money-broking business, for the regulation of institutions carrying on certain other financial businesses, and for the matters incidental thereto or connected therewith".BAFIA was introduced to provide for an integrated supervision of the Malaysian financial system and also to provide the Central Bank with the power to speedily investigate and prosecute, if necessary any illegal activities in an attempt o reduce white-collar crime.

Scope & Ambit Of The Act
BAFIA came into force on 1st October, 1989, Section 128 of BAFIA provides that the Finance Companies Act, 1969 and the Banking Act, 1973 are …show more content…

receiving deposits on deposit account, savings account or other similar account ; and
b. (i) the lending of money;
(ii) leasing; or
(iii)hire-purchase, including that which is subject to the Hire-Purchase Act, 1967; or
c. such other business as the Central Bank may prescribe
Section 32 of BAFIA prohibits any licensed institution to engage, whether on its own account or on a commission basis, in wholesale or retail except in connection with the realization of security given to or held by it for the purpose of carrying out its licensed activities. Section 33 further does not permit a finance company from accepting money on deposit which is repayable on demand or deal in foreign currency.

The Central Bank is authorized to fix minimum or maximum amounts of deposits or specify the minimum and maximum tenor of any of the deposits accepted by licensed institutions. However, such a specification will not affect an existing deposit account or existing agreement with a customer.

Receiving Deposits

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