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/ / / Article December 02, 2008, 02:30 AM (GMT+8)
THE PANELISTS
Malaysia: Back on the Radar Screen
May 23, 2000
After more than 18 months of effective pariah standing in the eyes of the global investment community, Malaysia once again regains pedigree status.

Ahmad Rejal Arbee [RA], (Berita Harian Sdn Bhd)
An alumnus of the Malay College Kuala Kangsar, Berita Harian's Group Editor Rejal Arbee is a seasoned and decorated newsman. The former Editor-in-Chief of Bernama has also served in many capacities in an illustrious career that spans almost four decades. Among them: Editor of Business Times, Group Editor of Berita Publishing, the publication arm of the New Straits Times Group and the Editor-in-Chief of the Sun Media Group. He has also served as chairman of the Malaysian Press Institute, secretary-general of the Organization of Asia Pacific News Agency and board member of the Manila-based Press Foundation of Asia. For his outstanding services in journalism, Rejal was awarded the South Korean press Koh Jai Wok Memorial Award. He is also the recipient of the Johan Setia Mahkota, SSA (Selangor) and AMK (Kedah) awards.


Melvyn Boey [MB], (Pesaka Jardine Fleming Sdn Bhd)
Trained in the London School of Economics, Melvyn Boey joined Pesaka Jardine Fleming in May 1999 and covers the motor and gaming sectors. Prior to Jardine Fleming, Melvyn, a chartered financial analyst (CFA) worked with Schroders Investment Management. In his personal capacity Melvyn is a conservative investor and only puts money in stocks that have strong balance sheets. 


Scott Lim [SL], (CMS-Dresdner Asset Management Sdn Bhd)
U.S.-trained Scott Lim joined CMS Dresdner Asset Management Sdn Bhd in June 1998 as a fund manager. He has six years experience in managing Malaysian and regional equity portfolios, working previously for Dr Tan Chong Koay's boutique fund management firm Pheim Asset Management and Premier Capital Management. He graduated from the University of Wisconsin at Madison, with distinction in Finance.


Tan Teng Boo [TTB], (Capital Dynamics Sdn Bhd)
Tan Teng Boo, the founder and Managing Director of Malaysia's first independent investment advisory firm Capital Dynamics calls himself "the perpetual student of the stock market". The reason: no matter how well one might think he has mastered the market, there are always surprises. That may be true, but Tan who has been involved with the market for the past 28 years has, over the years, created a reputation for himself as being prudent, yet ironically often able to outperform the Malaysian equity benchmark of the Kuala Lumpur Composite Index (KLCI). His weekly stock market report - i-Capital - has been in circulation since 1989. Tan is also founder and MD of Capital Dynamics Asset Management, a licensed fund manager. He is an economics graduate from the University of Sussex.


THE MODERATORS

Rajen Devadason [RD], (RD Book Projects)
Rajen Devadason is an award-winning journalist. As staff writer, of Malaysian Business magazine, he won the Malaysian Press Institute's award for best economic journalism in 1992 and the Citibank Pan-Asia business journalism award, which included a stint at New York's Columbia University and visits to the White House, World Bank and the US Federal Reserve. His first book Your A-Z Guide to the Stock Market was published in 1997 and since then he has seen a new book out each year. Rajen holds a Bachelor of Science (Honours) degree in Physics and Computing from King's College, University of London, and is a member of MENSA UK. He currently writes two distinct financial planning columns - a print column for Malaysian Business magazine and an online one for zoomFinance - and is overworked as a financial planning trainer-cum-consultant.


Steven K C Poh [SP], (I-2Media Sdn Bhd)
Ex-journalist Steven Poh is the Chief Executive of I-2Media Sdn Bhd, an online content and electronic community developer. He was formerly business correspondent for Asiaweek magazine and General Manager/Senior Consultant (Virtual Communities) of a KLSE-listed software development house. He won the 1992 Malaysian Press Institute prize for best magazine writing while still at Malaysian Business (where he started his journalism career). Also a former Press Fellow of Wolfson College at the University of Cambridge, Steven graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Communications (Journalism) from Southeast Missouri State University. He completed his Master of Science degree in Speech Communication from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale.


On May 23, 2000, approximately a week before Malaysia was reinstated into the Morgan Stanley Capital International (MSCI) Indices, zoomFinance brought together a distinguished panel of industry experts to its head office in Kuala Lumpur's Golden Triangle to discuss the impact of the reinclusion to the local capital market. 

Malaysia is said to be currently in an "over sold" position and technically the market should rebound. Within the week, punters are hoping for a trend northward. Also, interest rates remain low, creating an environment favourable for investment in equities. The country's economy, as measured by its gross domestic product (GDP) growth rate is also expected to exceed the official forecast of 5.8 per cent. And analysts expect the large liquidity build-up and strong earnings momentum to support the Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange (KLSE) as it hopefully tests new highs.

Even so, foreign funds are unlikely to hop on the bandwagon immediately after the MSCI move. Among other things, Malaysia is said to be expensive relative to the rest of the region. Still, many fund managers would need to take a position on the KLSE due to the weightage given to it with the reinstatement. Just how the reinstatement will affect the local bourse remains to be seen.

Click here for the full transcript.

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