The logo of Bank Negara Malaysia is seen at its headquarters in Kuala Lumpur March 12, 2019. — Picture by Yusof Mat Isa

KUALA LUMPUR, July 31 — Malaysia’s reserves remained usable as at end-June 2019, with official reserve assets at US$102.72 billion (RM423.9 billion) , while other foreign currency assets amounted to US$58.5 million, in accordance with the International Monetary Fund’s Special Data Dissemination Standard (IMF SDDS) format.

Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) in a statement today, said for the next 12 months, the pre-determined short-term outflows of foreign currency loans, securities and deposits, which include among others, scheduled repayment of external borrowings by the government and repayment arising from maturity of the foreign currency Bank Negara Interbank Bills, amount to US$5.81 billion.

"The short forward positions amounted to US$14.69 billion as at end-June 2019, reflecting the management of the ringgit’s liquidity in the money market,” it said.

In line with the practice adopted since April 2006, the data excludes projected foreign currency inflows arising from interest income and the drawdown of project loans amounting to US$2.47 billion in the next 12 months.

The central bank said the only contingent short-term net drain on foreign currency assets are government guarantees of foreign currency debt due within one year, amounting to US$336.2 million.

“There are no foreign currency loans with embedded options, no undrawn, unconditional credit lines provided by or to other central banks, international organisations, banks and other financial institutions and BNM also does not engage in foreign currency options vis-a-vis the ringgit,” it added. — Bernama