Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) has released a draft proposal outlining key reforms for personal financing practices, including abolishing the controversial Rule of 78 interest calculation method and reclassifying certain home financing products under stricter terms. The move aims to ensure fairer lending practices, greater transparency, and financial stability, particularly in light of rising household debt concerns.
Abolishing the Rule of 78 and Flat Rate Interest
The Rule of 78 has long been criticized for its unfair interest calculation. Under this method, a loan's total interest is pre-calculated based on the original principal, meaning borrowers do not enjoy interest savings even if they settle their loans early. BNM's proposal seeks to eliminate this method for personal financing, a change that aligns with broader efforts to reform lending practices, including amendments to the Hire Purchase Act 1967, set to be tabled in Parliament in early 2025.
Going forward, financial service providers (FSPs) will be restricted to offering personal financing products that calculate interest using either:
- A fixed or floating rate; or
- Interest charged on the remaining principal balance after payments toward the principal are deducted.
FSPs will be required to disclose the effective interest rate (EIR), the total repayment amount, and detailed explanations of interest calculations (e.g., daily or monthly reducing balance methods). For floating-rate loans, providers must also explain the conditions for interest rate adjustments, their impacts, and the option for customers to maintain original instalment amounts.
Home Financing Products Reclassified as Personal Financing
In a major shift, BNM proposes to treat specific types of home financing products as personal financing and cap their tenure at 10 years. This applies to cases where:
- Additional financing exceeds the outstanding amount on a refinanced home loan.
- Extra financing is taken beyond the original loan amount after partial repayment.
- Financing is secured by a property with no existing mortgage.
To prevent misuse, FSPs will need to verify the actual purpose of the financing by requiring supporting documents. Exceptions to the 10-year cap include financing strictly for:
- Renovations.
- Mortgage-reducing term assurance (MRTA) or takaful.
- Legal fees, education, or business purposes.
Additionally, the cap does not apply if the new financing amount, combined with the outstanding balance, does not exceed the original loan amount and tenure, or if it involves pre-paid amounts or extra repayments.
Addressing Household Debt and Reducing Loan Tenures
BNM is also seeking public feedback on whether the maximum tenure for personal financing should be reduced further to seven years, as practiced in other countries like Australia and Singapore. Currently, Malaysia allows a maximum of 10 years.
The proposal comes in response to growing concerns over household debt levels. As of end-2023, Malaysia's aggregate household debt stood at RM1.53 trillion, with 12.6% attributed to personal financing. Alarmingly, personal financing accounted for 46.26% of total bankruptcy cases in 2023, while 32.8% of loans under the Debt Management Programme managed by Agensi Kaunseling dan Pengurusan Kredit (AKPK) also comprised personal financing.
BNM emphasizes that shorter tenures encourage responsible borrowing and reduce long-term financial risks. The central bank is now inviting feedback from the public and industry stakeholders on the proposed tenure reduction, its feasibility, and potential challenges.
The Future of Lending in Malaysia
These proposed changes reflect BNM's commitment to improving transparency, responsible lending, and protecting borrowers from predatory financial practices. By abolishing outdated methods like the Rule of 78 and capping tenures for personal financing, BNM hopes to strike a balance between consumer affordability and long-term financial stability.
Public feedback on the draft proposal is open until February 14, 2025, and can be submitted electronically through BNM’s official feedback form. This initiative marks a significant step toward fostering a healthier lending ecosystem in Malaysia.
*Sources: Visual and Reference Credits to Social Media & various cross-references for context.
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