MALAYSIA: BANK NEGARA KEEPING CLOSE WATCH ON FIRST

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 KUALA LUMPUR 000959 SIPDIS STATE FOR T STATE FOR EEB STATE FOR NEA STATE FOR EAP STATE FOR ISN TREASURY FOR JFOWLER TREASURY FOR TDORSETT E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/25/2019 TAGS: EFIN ETRD ETTC IR KNNP MY PINR PTER SUBJECT: MALAYSIA: BANK NEGARA KEEPING CLOSE WATCH ON FIRST EAST EXPORT BANK REF: A. KUALA LUPUR 917 ¶B. KUALA LUMPUR 752 Classified By: Economic Counselor Matt Matthews for Reasons 1.4(b) and (d) ¶1. (C) Summary: Bank Negara (BN) Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) Manager Abdul Rahman Abu Bakar (Rahman) stated during a November 20 meeting with econoff that FIU is monitoring all account activity at First East Export Bank (FEEB - a subsidiary of Iran,s Bank Mellat) on a daily basis, treating all transactions as though they were &suspicious.8 BN monitoring actions and statements to potential Malaysian FEEB employees are making it difficult for FEEB to hire staff for its Labuan offshore bank, according to Rahman. FEEB operations remain very limited with its offices frequently closed and bank officials difficult to contact. During an October 6 meeting, Labuan Offshore Financial Services Authority (LOFSA) Director General Azizan Abdul Rahman (Azizan) told econoff LOFSA maintains a clean operation and closely supervises FEEB. Five foreign and domestic banks operating in Labuan confirmed LOFSA,s stringent anti-money laundering and counter-financing of terrorism (AML/CFT) protocols in October 5-6 meetings. Labuan offshore banks also reported difficulty attracting new business due to a weak market, competition from Singapore and Hong Kong-based offshore banking operations, and non-recognition of Labuan,s tax free status by many Asian jurisdictions. End Summary. ¶2. (C) Comment: BN and LOFSA officials recognize the danger FEEB represents to Malaysia,s financial system if FEEB gets publicly caught financing proliferation or terrorism, to the point LOFSA,s Director of Bank Supervision called FEEB the top security threat to Malaysia,s financial system (Ref A). BN told us they are using means beyond traditional bank supervision to limit FEEB,s capacity to operate freely in Labuan. To date, since it began operations over four months ago, FEEB has conducted only one relatively small transaction. End Comment. Bank Negara Reviewing FEEB Activities Daily -------------- ¶3. (C) BN Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) Manager Abdul Rahman Abu Bakar (Rahman) told econoff during a November 20 meeting that BN is using extraordinary measures to monitor FEEB activities apart from LOFSA supervisory activities. Even though BN does not have regulatory authority over Labuan offshore banks, FIU is monitoring every FEEB transaction on a daily basis through FEEB,s correspondent accounts with mainland Malaysian banks. All FEEB transactions are being treated by FIU as though they were &suspicious8 and Malaysian banks are required to report any FEEB account activity to FIU. Rahman added that he believes LOFSA is unaware of FIU,s monitoring activities and was not asked for permission. FEEB Operations Remain Limited, Lacking Staff -------------- ¶4. (C) Rahman acknowledged that if FEEB ever engaged in proliferation finance it would gravely damage the reputation of Labuan,s offshore banking center and that BN and LOFSA are determined to prevent that from happening. FEEB opened in August 2009, and, as of November 20, had still only completed one trade finance transaction (Ref B),according to Rahman. Rahman added that FEEB has not ramped up operations -- possibly because it was finding it difficult to hire staff. Rahman mentioned that he had met with two different BN compliance officers that had been offered compliance officer positions with FEEB in Labuan. After the meetings, the BN officers ended up not taking the jobs. Rahman explained that the BN officers left their meeting &concerned about FEEB,s long term prospects in Malaysia.8 Rahman had heard that several private sector bankers had also rejected bank officer employment offers by FEEB. Alerted to FEEB security concerns by FUI reporting requirements, Rahman expressed confidence that Malaysian private sector bankers were also aware of possible negative career ramifications of employment with FEEB. Rahman was unaware if FEEB is KUALA LUMP 00000959 002 OF 002 authorized to bring foreign bankers to Labuan. LOFSA Watching FEEB Closely -------------- ¶5. (C) During an October 6 meeting at LOFSA,s offices, LOFSA Director General Azizan Abdul Rahman (Azizan)and Director of Bank Supervision Iskandar Mohd Nuli told econoff that LOFSA has inspected FEEB monthly since it opened in August (Ref B) and keeps an extremely tight watch on anything happening at its operation. The FEEB office was not open during econoff,s two days in Labuan and Citibank Labuan General Manager Clara Lim said that the FEEB office was rarely open. Lim added that FEEB management had applied for membership in the Labuan Banker,s Association but her multiple attempts to contact FEEB by telephone in Labuan and at its Kuala Lumpur offices to discuss its application were unsuccessful. The FEEB application was still under review at that time. Labuan Offshore Banking Growth Limited -------------- ¶6. (C) According to Azizan, the OECD designation of Labuan as a &category 3, non-compliant8 offshore banking jurisdiction due to inadequate international information exchange standards angered LOFSA officials. Azizan maintained LOFSA ran a clean offshore banking operation and implemented stringent anti-money laundering and counter-financing of terrorism (AML/CFT) protocols. He argued that LOFSA only allows funds to enter or exit Labuan electronically ) no cash or checks ) and requires significant due diligence on all new clients by Labuan banks. The designation was later reduced, but Azizan claimed Labuan,s reputation was significantly damaged. He lamented that over the past year the number of Labuan offshore banks has declined from 59 to 48, due primarily to foreign offshore banks leaving the market and added that LOFSA has only licensed two new banks this year (including FEEB). Since Malaysia removed foreign currency and capital controls, the only incentive to do business in Labuan is its tax advantages for Kuala Lumpur-based banks and foreign banks hoping to break in to the Malaysian market. Azizan also noted many Asian countries, such as South Korea, do not recognized Labuan,s tax free status, damaging LOFSA,s ability to attract banks from the region. Banks Say Labuan Losing Out to Singapore and Hong Kong -------------- -------------- ¶7. (C) In separate October 5-6 meetings, Labuan-based foreign banks: Citibank, J.P. Morgan Chase, and Standard Chartered, as well as domestic banks Maybank and CIMB Labuan offices, echoed LOFSA,s assertions of close monitoring and tight regulation, and complained of declining business prospects. The banks are required to submit monthly reports on all business activities and are frequently audited by LOFSA. The banks reported difficulty attracting new business due to poor market conditions and competition from Singapore and Hong Kong offshore banks and described surviving only by purchasing participations in loans from their Kuala Lumpur based parent banks. Citibank lists only 25 large corporate clients in Labuan and makes a nominal profit on its five person Labuan operation, according to Lim. JPM Chase Labuan Branch Manager Ishammudin Mansor called its Labuan bank &dormant8 and has decreased its full time staffing level to two. Mansor said that the bank considered closing in Labuan, but stays open to garner favor with Bank Negara for future banking license consideration and in case the GOM imposes future currency or capital movement restrictions. Maybank Labuan CEO Punjau Sepoi admitted limited profitability with a 1.2 percent return on their USD 2 billion of assets and a 13 percent return on equity. Ninety percent of Maybank Labuan,s clients are Malaysian corporate hard currency accounts. All their customer relationships are managed through Kuala Lumpur and the Labuan bank is primarily used to book dollar denominated loans and fees to reduce domestic corporate income taxes. Sepoi admitted that Maybank keeps its Labuan bank open as much for political purposes as profits. KEITH