BNM Updates Address Basel Rules, Lending, and Climate Risk Exposures

 Below are the key highlights of these recent updates:

• The proposal on operational risk requirements addresses how a financial institution shall calculate its total operational risk-weighted assets (RWAs) referred to in paragraph 9.2(b) of the Capital Adequacy Framework (Capital Components) and the Capital Adequacy Framework for Islamic Banks (Capital Components). The consultation is open for feedback until March 31, 2022, with the final requirements expected to come into effect from January 01, 2025. The proposed requirements would be applicable to licensed banks, licensed investment banks, licensed Islamic banks, and financial holding companies. These requirements are broadly in line with the Basel III standards set by the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision (BCBS) and the capital standards issued by the Islamic Financial Services Board (IFSB)—and have been modified accordingly where applicable. 
• The policy document on securities borrowing and lending of Real-Time Electronic Transfer of Funds and Securities System (RENTAS) securities provides regulatory requirements for market participants that enter into securities borrowing and lending transactions in respect of the RENTAS securities. The securities borrowing and lending is defined as the process that involves a loan of securities from one party to another for a limited period of time, in exchange for a lending fee and collateral. The policy document stipulates the terms and conditions, procedures, and practices to be observed by market participants in the securities borrowing and lending market. The policy document is applicable to licensed banks and investment banks, among other market participants, and will come in effect on December 02, 2022.
• The policy document on climate risk and scenario analysis sets out 14 principles that can be broadly categorized into the topics of governance, strategy, risk appetite, risk management, scenario analysis, and disclosure. BNM also published a supplemental guidance on this topic, along with its feedback statement on the responses received to the consultation on the proposed policy on climate risk and scenario analysis. The policy document is applicable to all financial institutions and comes in effect on November 30, 2022, with certain exceptions. Certain specifications with respect to governance, strategy, risk appetite, and risk management shall come into effect on December 31, 2023 while certain specifications with respect to scenario analysis, metrics and targets, and disclosure shall come into effect on December 31, 2024.
• BNM launched the Greening Value Chain (GVC) Program, in conjunction with the Finance Day at COP-27 and in collaboration with financial institutions and certain strategic partners. The GVC program aims to assist Malaysian small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in implementing impactful, long-term change to green their operations. This can be achieved by technical advice from participating organizations and transition financing from the Low Carbon Transition Facility.

• The JC3 held its ninth meeting to move forward the climate risk agenda. At this meeting, JC3 members approved the publication of the Data Catalog and Accompanying Report, which focuses on data availability, gaps, and recommendations to bridge data gaps in the area of climate risk. In 2023, JC3 will focus efforts on working with relevant data providers to resolve data accessibility issues and improve the quality, comparability, and consistency of existing data sources. JC3 plans to develop and launch several pilot programs in 2023, just like the Greening Value Chain program mentioned above. JC3 is also supporting the Capital Markets Malaysia, an affiliate of the Securities Commission Malaysia, to develop an ESG Disclosure Guide tailored to SMEs in Malaysia. 

Related Links

• Proposed Operational Risk Rules
• Policy on Securities Borrowing and Lending (PDF)
• Policy on Climate Risk and Scenario Analysis (PDF)
• Supplemental Guidance on Climate Risk (PDF)
• Feedback on Climate Risk Consultation (PDF)
• Launch of Greening Value Chain Program
• Statement on Climate Change Committee Meeting

Keywords: Malaysia, Banking, Basel, Operational Risk, Climate Change Risk, ESG, Scenario Analysis, Lending, Securities Borrowing and Lending, Credit Risk, SMEs, BNM, Asia Pacific