Malaysian currency weaken as foreign capital outflow

Foreign capital outflow a trend in emerging markets these days

The ringgit, which has been described as being in a tight spot, has fallen 6.6% since May 22, when the Fed first raised the spectre of an early stimulus withdrawal, reports the Singapore Business Times.

THE outflow of foreign capital from emerging markets is the trend these days.

The ringgit, which has been described as being in a tight spot, has fallen 6.6% since May 22, when the Fed first raised the spectre of an early stimulus withdrawal, reports the Singapore Business Times.

The ringgit has been trading at three-year lows against the US dollar, and month-long selling has pushed 10-year Malaysian government bond yields to their highest in 2½ years, says the report.

The reason is “an exodus of foreign capital, as investors reassess emerging markets most at risk from a withdrawal of US easy money policy,” it adds.

The Indian rupee has dropped more severely by 8.5% since May 22.

India has been described as being “caught in the middle”, as the United States ponders tapering off its quantitative easing policy, causing volatility in emerging markets, as investors pull money out.

India was enjoying a growth rate of 9% just two years ago. Now, the Reserve Bank of India is forecasting growth at 5.5% for the fiscal year ending next March, says the SBT.

Reliance on foreign capital has always been a dangerous game, and the authorities are well aware of that.

In some quarters, it is a known fact that foreign capital is not really welcome, as it wreaks havoc with its large movements.

Economies in South-East Asia, especially, have to be very cautious of foreign capital, as the impact can be severe once they withdraw their funds.

Fund flows are usually tracked by central banks, which will have an indication of the inflows and outflows.
The economy itself should be fundamentlly strong and able to withstand the shock of any outflow.

High economic growth is not really the objective in this case, but rather steady, resilient and broad-based growth.

Investors in emerging markets should be prepared for such a phenomenon and get ready with their asset allocation strategies.

Mark Mobius, the executive chairman of Templeton EM Group, was quoted by The Economic Times of India as saying that funds were expected to flow back into emerging markets.

“We think there will be a bounce-back because there has been too much negativity and that has pushed prices down to levels where there is a chance of an upsurge again,” he is quoted as saying.

The Australian central bank has cut rates for the eighth time in less than two years in a bid to improve sluggish growth, as a boom in mining investment over the past decade comes to an end, says the International Herald Tribune (IHT).

The Reserve Bank of Australia lowered its benchmark cash rate by a quarter of a percentage point to a record low of 2.5%, bringing the total cuts since November 2011 to 2.25 percentage points.

The Australian currency, which is closely watched by investors and parents with children studying in that country, has fallen about 15% against the US dollar since mid-April.

However, the currency remains well above where it has been for much of the past two decades, says the IHT.

The Australian dollar has rallied lately on positive economic data from China.

As new resource investments peter out, the Australian government is seeking to rebalance its economy, with strength in sectors such as tourism and manufacturing.

There are diverging trends in the Australian economy, where unemployment has edged up, with “signs of increased demand for finance by households”.

However, the pace of borrowing has remained “relatively subdued”.

It will be interesting to watch how the Australian dollar performs over the next few months and assess whether it is timely to invest in it.

Plain Speaking By Yap Leng Kuen contributed to this post.
Columnist Yap Leng Kuen sees a lot of investment opportunities in emerging markets.

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Bad guys, gangster contractors exploit home owners for renovation works

Gangsters corner condo jobs, 'In-house contractors force buyers to accept their services

Runners for the ‘in-house’ contractor manning their counter near the elevator entrance of a newly completed apartment project in Penang. 

GEORGE TOWN: Contractors, some with links to triads, are forcing buyers of high-rise property here to carry out renovation works.

Many of them charge a premium, sometimes up to 20% more than normal contractors.

If the buyers insist on hiring contractors from outside, they are compelled into buying materials such as sand, bricks, cement and steel cages.

Alternatively, the buyers can pay a “settlement” to bring in outside contractors.

Most buyers dare not lodge complaints with the police for fear of retaliation from triad members.

With developers turning a blind eye to the issue, the so-called “in-house” contractors have become more brazen in intimidating buyers.

Although such practices could be traced back to the 1990s, the mushrooming of condominium projects in Penang has made matters worse.

It has been estimated that more than RM10bil worth of projects had been undertaken on the island over the past 18 months.

During a check by The Star at several newly completed apartment blocks in Relau, a man was seen manning a makeshift counter near the lifts.

He said his “company” was selling sand, bricks, cement and steel cages, and providing other services such as hacking and electrical wiring.

When told that the unit owner wanted to bring in his own contractor to carry out tiling works, the stern-looking man said: “You can still buy the steel cages or other materials from us. We will handle your waste as well.”

Another in-house contractor, who declined to be named, claimed that he could offer better prices for construction materials.

“We get bulk discounts from suppliers. If we buy 100 steel cages and you buy only one, who will get a better price?

“Besides, we also know the unit layout better than anyone else. We know where the electrical wiring is hidden in the wall. We also know where to hack inside the house,” he said.

Ideal Property Development Sdn Bhd managing director Datuk Alex Ooi said his group had encountered numerous cases of such triad activities in its projects in the South-West district over the past few years.

“This is because the district is a hot spot for the development of reasonably priced properties.

“Whenever we have such problems, the police are very quick to come in to arrest the culprits.

“We have also tightened the security for our projects in the district and this has reduced such incidents,” he added.

SP Setia Bhd property (North) general manager Khoo Teck Chong said the group’s projects in the South-West district had never faced such problems because of its tight security system.

Penang police chief Deputy Comm Datuk Abdul Rahim Hanafi urged unit owners to lodge reports or call the police hotline at 04-269 1999.

“We do not condone such actions. We need unit owners to provide us with information so that we can act.

“Everyone has the right to choose their own contractors or material suppliers,” he said.

DCP Rahim gave his assurance that the identity of whistle-blowers or affected victims would be protected.

Buyers must pay ‘toll’ to bring in own contractors

GEORGE TOWN: Lecturer W.C. Lim, 35, who bought a high-rise unit in Bayan Lepas, said he had to pay off the so-called “in-house” contractor so that he would be allowed to engage his own builder.

“I knew I could not win them over, so I paid them off just to reach a win-win situation,” he said.

Lim said that although he was forced to fork out extra money, he was glad the issue was resolved amicably.

“I have heard some horrible stories about these contractors, including harassment for not taking up their services.

“Besides, these contractors also dish out shoddy workmanship,” he said.

Another unit owner, Ethan Tan, 31, said he got several quotations when he wanted to renovate his condominium in Sungai Pinang, including one from the in-house contractor.

However, he was told that “external” contractors must buy cement, sand or tiles from the in-house contractor, believed to have links to a secret society.

The materials were about 20% more expensive compared to legitimate dealers.

“To save all the trouble, I ended up engaging the in-house contractor. I knew that if I had brought in my own designer and contractor, there would surely be disruption of work.

“And if my contractors needed to buy the materials from these guys, the exorbitant charges would be passed on to me,” he said.

Tan said he had no regrets, as the workmanship of the in-house contractor was good.

“A plus point is that they will be around for at least a year in case there are defects,” he said.

Clerk Tan Chua Ting, 40, said she had initially wanted to hire her relative to carry out renovation at her newly completed apartment in Bandar Baru Air Itam.

“But he turned me down, saying that he had already been chased out by the in-house contractor,” she said.

Tan then decided to go with the in-house contractor and was satisfied with the work done.

“The quality is there, from the flooring, built-in cabinet, kitchen and the living room.

“I checked with other contractors and they told me the price was reasonable, considering the work done. They even threw me a few upgrades. I have no complaints,” said Tan, who moved into her new apartment early this year.

Triads have been harassing contractors for ages

PETALING JAYA: Triad members have been harassing contractors in the building industry by demanding protection money and asking for jobs, according to an industry insider.

He said such illegal practices had been going on for years and they were common in the Klang Valley and Johor.

He said if contractors did not pay protection money, some triad members would negotiate to be given sub-contract work such as supplying building materials or steel bar bending service.

“These gangsters will approach contractors and claim that the construction site is sitting on their ‘territory’.

“Some ask for monthly payments while others will leave the contractor alone if a lump sum is paid,” he said.

He said that although contractors were uncomfortable with the situation, most were already used to the practice and knew what to expect from the triads.

“We have learnt to manage them and try to speak to them nicely.

Normally, they do not threaten us with force such as by brandishing weapons.

“They will tell us that the area is ‘theirs’ and we have to pay to be ‘guarded’ by them,” he said, urging the authorities to solve the problem and beef up enforcement.

“If contractors refuse to pay gang members, will the police protect us? What will they do about contractors who have been bullied?” he asked.

Higher-end property has no room for triads to exploit 

GEORGE TOWN: There are now fewer cases of triads monopolising renovation works of high-rise buildings in the state, said Penang Master Builders’ and Building Materials Dealers Association.

Its president Lim Kai Seng said many high-rise units were already partially furnished and were priced from RM400,000 onwards.

“This makes it unnecessary for high-rise property owners to engage contractors to do renovation. It also reduces the opportunity for the triads to provide renovation services,” Lim said when commenting on triad-linked contractors who compel high-rise property owners to engage them for renovation works.

He said the triads usually targeted low and medium-cost projects priced at around RM72,000 because these units were sold without any basic renovation package.

He said this allowed them to offer their services at a higher cost, usually at about 20% more.

According to Lim, the triads begun to control renovation works for high-rise buildings in the 1990s when the construction industry in Penang was booming.

“Before that they used to collect ang pow from developers and contractors. They muscled into development projects to broaden their revenue base,” he said.

“Over the years, police have worked with us and the developers to bring down such activities. So far, the authorities have proven to be very cooperative and efficient in arresting triad-linked contractors.”

Lim denied allegations that contractors were in cahoots with the triads to monopolise renovation jobs.

“We have always lodged police reports whenever we received complaints from buyers,” he added.

- The Star contributed to the stories

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Smartwatch trademarks for Samsung "Galaxy Gear"?

Samsung Electronics has applied for US and South Korean trademarks for a watch that connects to the Internet in the latest sign that consumer technology companies see wearable devices as the future of their business.

Samsung described "Samsung Galaxy Gear" as a wearable digital electronic device in the form of a wristwatch, wrist band or bangle in its July 29 application with US Patent and Trademark Office. A month earlier, it applied for a "Samsung Gear" trademark in South Korea.

The trademark applications did not show the shape of the products. But drawings from a Samsung design patent approved in May show a watch-like design with a flexible screen that curves around the wrist.



The US trademark application said the device will be "capable of providing access to the Internet, for sending and receiving phone calls, electronic mails and messages" as well as "for keeping track of or managing personal information."

The trademark filings in the US and in South Korea show that Samsung is deep in preparations for what tech industry experts expect will be a new generation of mobile technology that dramatically expands the utility of single-function objects such as watches and glasses. The South Korean consumer electronics giant was caught flatfooted by Apple's invention of the smartphone but through what turned out to be a legally risky strategy of imitation was able to capture a dominant share of the global smartphone market within a few years.

Apple applied June 3 for a trademark in Japan for "iWatch." Industry watchers have long speculated that Apple is working on a smart watch that uses a version of the operating system that powers the iPhone and iPad. The company has not confirmed those rumors but CEO Tim Cook has hinted it may be developing a wearable computing device.

Google is testing an early version of Internet-connected spectacles called Glass. It uses a small screen above the right eye that displays information and imagery retrieved from the Internet.

The South Korean patent office said the Gear trademark will not be approved this year as it takes seven to eight months to start reviewing applications due to a waiting list. Samsung applied for the South Korean trademark on June 21.

It was not clear if Samsung would use the "Samsung Gear" trademark for a Smart Watch. The trademark application covers 38 possible products including mobile telephones, bracelets, glasses and software interfaces that monitor human vital signs.

South Korea's patent office said in June that Samsung had patented watch designs in which more than three quarters of the device is covered by a flexible display that curves around the wrist. Illustrations showed 'back' and 'home' buttons at the bottom of the screen. Another illustration shows a rectangular screen with an edge that tapers toward the top.

The product is made of metal, synthetic and glass materials, Samsung's patent document said.

Samsung executive vice president Lee Young Hee said in March interview with Bloomberg that the company's mobile division has been working on a smart watch. Samsung declined to confirm the report then.

Company spokeswoman Chenny Kim declined to comment on the patent applications. - AP

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