Finsia Seminar Islamic Finance Challenges And Opportunities March 2010
1. Chaaban Omran
Director-MCCA Asset Management Limited
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2. Towering Strength
The Sky is the Limit
Solid
Inspirational
Open to All
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2
3. Introduction
Who is MCCA?
Timetable?
What is “Shariah Compliance”?
Demystifying Islamic Finance
Opening Up Markets
Creating Jobs
Way forward for Australia
Conclusion
4. ◦ The Future of Islamic Finance in Australia will
create wealth and jobs opportunities through its
innovation available to all Australians using
methods tried and tested for centuries
◦ Regulatory Approach – requires a level playing
field between Islamic and non-Islamic Finance as
well as maintain religious neutrality
◦ Growth via attracting Foreign Investment and
players
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5. Muslim Community Co-operative Australia was established in
Feb 1989 where the founders aquired a car for a customer
7,500 members with $30m of assets on Balance Sheet
Today has financed over 100 properties in various Shariah
Compliant style contracts
Removal of stamp duty by Victorian State Government:
Insertion of S57A to S57F of the State Taxation Acts
(Amendment) Act 2004.
Currently undergoing demutualisation
Holder of first Australian Retail Mortgage Investment Fund
that is Shariah Compliant
Made submissions to Hon. Minister Chris Bowen and Trade
Minister Hon. Simon Crean as well as Australian Financial
Centre Forum (The Johnson Report)
6. Horizon
◦ 1 Year – Greater awareness, understanding and
acceptance: Demystifying Islamic Finance
◦ 2 years – Basic Islamic Finance Regulatory Changes
◦ 3 years – First Islamic Banking License in Australia
Basic Banking Services – Accounts and Deposits
◦ 4 years – Investment Banking and Capital Markets
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7. Set of principles that adhere to Islamic Law
which is sourced from the Quran and the
sayings of Prophet Mohammed
Shariah Compliant Finance & Investments–
next wave of ethical investing – including
Islamic Superannuation
Needs to be seen as “Innovation” and not as a
threat to financial services or religious
overtones
Proven; it’s not smoke and mirrors
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8. Proven; it’s not smoke and mirrors: the
credible history of Islamic Banking & Finance
in practice (globally) for over 1,000 years
under the Islamic State
Premise:
◦ Riba or Interest is prohibited
◦ Asset based as opposed to cash based; money
cannot make money;
Judaism
Christianity
Other religions
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9. The underlying tradable commodity must be
an asset; substitution of real resources for
money
There are many types of contracts
◦ Murabaha: Investor charges cost plus markup
◦ Mudaraba: Client shares the profits
◦ Musharaka: Partnership of the asset
◦ Ijara: Rent/Lease to own
◦ Sukuk: Securitisation of an asset
◦ Takaful: Insurance based on mutual aid concept
◦ Wakala: Charging of fees to hold an asset
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10. Islamic finance introduces such change:
◦ It replaces the lone classical lending
contract with numerous finance contracts,
◦ Interest is replaced by:
Profit rate on partnership finance,
Markups on sale finance
Rental rates on leasing finance
In Islamic finance based on partnership,
focus would be on profitability and the rate
of return of the concerned investment.
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11. Islamic Partnership Finance
Islamic banks hold equity to finance
business enterprises.
Taking equity as partners in business
provides more information and free
monitoring, removing information
asymmetry and associated risks.
Islamic Sale & Lease Finance
In sale and lease finance Islamic banks
provide goods and services, not cash,
Both banks and the customers are equally
informed
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12. Self-Mitigated Risk
◦ When the bank maintains ownership until
repayment is complete
◦ When a real assets involved: use as collateral, and
pledge receivables.
Motivational aspects to the customer
◦ Musharaka or Mudaraba, with a profit ceiling (they
know what they are in for during product life
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14. Banking
◦ Accounts (Dividends versus Interest)
◦ Deposits (Mudarabah Deposits)
Wealth Management
◦ Islamic Superannuation; treatment of Cash
Portfolios and minimum balance free from interest
◦ Islamic Insurance – “Takaful”
Finance
◦ Property Acquisitions; Residential and Commercial
◦ Hire Purchase & Asset Facilitation
Information Technology
◦ Systems, Software and Data; Global Linking, B2B, SOA
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15. Islamic Finance Training and Education
◦ Products and courses (La Trobe & Monash)
◦ Islamic Finance for newcomers (broad)
Legal Advice; lawyers and legislators
Regulatory and Corporate Advisory Services
Council of Islamic Finance – Australia
Sales Force – Banks and Mortgage Managers
Information Technology Research and Development
Investment
Government Supervision
Audit, Accounting & Taxation – ATO and Tax Practices
Management and Operational processes
Leadership and Strategy
Islamic Finance and Banking Associations
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16. Islamic finance critical requirements
◦ Ability to trade in goods and services
◦ Ability to take equity within a wider
latitude
◦ Islamic finance activities must be
treated as financial activities for tax
purposes
◦ Recognition of Islamic finance
contracts by civil, commercial and
financial-market laws.
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17. Education critical
Opening new markets and industry
Creating Jobs, an alternative avenue for Wealth
Creation. Not a matter if but when
Thank you…
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