NEW Base Rate: Good or Bad ?

When Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) announcing that the new Base Rate will replace the current Base Lending Rate (BLR) starting 2015, many people doesn't know what's that. Is it a good thing or is it just another gimmick to increase the lending rate?

Here, Finance Malaysia Blog hope to answer some of the queries posted by our followers...

First, let us figure out why BNM wanted to change the reference rate. It was being told that the objective is to promote better transparency, pricing discipline and efficiency among financial players.

Second, how was the new Base Rate being determined?

Third, good or bad ?

In fact, it was a good thing to retail borrowers since the new Base Rate would be partially determined by efficiency of financial institutions. Finance Malaysia opines that those big banks will have a better pricing power compared to smaller banks, because their cost of funding is usually lower via current/saving account (CASA). That's the cheapest cost of funding for any banks, other than Fixed Deposit.

Would it affect the existing loan borrowers?

This is the question most of us concerned about. But, BNM said the new Base Rate "should not" have an effective impact on existing loan borrowers. Of course, it was different story if the borrowers refinance their existing loan, either it's personal loan or housing loan.