The Malaysian Trades Union Congress (MTUC) is urging the Ministry of Finance (MoF) and Bank Negara Malaysia to compel banks to extend the deferment of loans for another six months. The current 6-month moratorium was announced back in March when the first stage of the Movement Control Order (MCO) was enforced in an effort to prevent the spread of the pandemic. With all activities and businesses put on pause, many people were either forced to take massive pay cuts, go on unpaid leaves by employers
Jul 7, 2020
Bank Negara Malaysia have announced a 6-month moratorium for all bank loans except credit card balances, starting 1 April 2020. The moratorium is basically a temporary freeze on loan repayments. However, do remember that the moratorium applies only to loan repayments. Interests will continue to accrue every month as usual. Also, the moratorium applies only to loans that have not been in arrears (all previous payments owed paid in full) for more than 90 days as of 1 April 2020. How does the 6-mon
Mar 25, 2020
The 6-month long loan moratorium is set to expire in September and its expiry could have some negative impact on the Malaysian automotive industry. The loan moratorium went into effect in April as the country entered the Movement Control Order (MCO) period. Malaysian Automotive Association (MAA) president Datuk Aishah Ahmad told The Edge, “People will not have the money to buy new vehicles. But I think it depends on the category of vehicles. I think high-end vehicles will not be impacted; people
Jul 27, 2020
The following is still a developing news, we will update it when clearer official announcements are made. We were tipped off by our friends at Careta.my that banks might begin imposing interest charges on delayed/outstanding car loan repayments of borrowers who took up the 6-month moratorium. A statement released by Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) earlier today said “…banking institutions are in the process of formalising agreements which reflect the revised payment terms with borrowers/customers wit
Apr 30, 2020
It turns out that it wasn’t just used car sales that saw an increase throughout the past few months, used car dealers in Johor Bahru are reporting an increase in car owners trying to sell their vehicles after the Movement Control Order (MCO) ended in June. One second-hand car shop manager Chang Keng Keong told The Star that there has been a 30 percent increase in the number of people who came to his shop enquiring for information about the disposal of their cars. This was especially apparent in
Nov 25, 2020
Finance Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz will be discussing with banks regarding the moratorium extension, which is set to end in September. He said that the government cannot force the banks to extend the loan moratorium and will continue discussions with them. "There have been requests from those who need more time. On the government's part, we are still engaging with the banks and it is really up to them whether they can or cannot," Tengku Zarful told Malay Mail. Tengku Zafrul add
Jun 29, 2020
Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin has announced a moratorium extension and targeted bank assistance that focuses on those in need. In yesterday’s address, he said the extension and aid serves to benefit three million individuals and small and medium enterprises (SMEs). Here are the details of the targeted moratorium and bank assistance: Individuals who lost their jobs in 2020 and still haven’t got a new job will be offered the moratorium for another three months (up to Dec 31). After the t
Jul 30, 2020
Over the past two weeks, the banking sector lost not just money, but a lot of goodwill from its customers. The former was unavoidable due to Covid-19, the latter was all their own doing. We are talking about how banks managed the communications to their customers regarding the 6-month moratorium for bank loans. Do banks not have any PR strategy at all? Hands up if you had trouble understanding Bank Negara’s first announcement on 25-March, which said: “It is important to note that the interest/pr
May 9, 2020
BMW Malaysia recently communicated its chat service as a way for customers to reach out to them during this Movement Control Order (MCO) period, by using Facebook’s existing chat function. But owners were not particularly keen about the new chat function – instead, many BMW owners were upset that they are not entitled for the 6-month moratorium by BMW Credit Malaysia. Entertain yourselves with the comments on the video As BMW Credit Malaysia is not a bank, it is not bounded by Bank Negara Malays
Mar 27, 2020
Only 10 percent of hire purchase borrowers of have opted out of the 6-month moratorium given by Bank Negara, according to data by RHB Investment Bank. In its latest bi-weekly newsletter dated 29-April, the investment bank downgraded its buy/sell call for CIMB, from Neutral to Sell. Part of the reason, according to the investment bank’s analysts is “…possibility of provisions for a macro overlay on expected credit loss and modification losses on the present value of deferred cash flows due to the
May 1, 2020
We know that the Perodua Myvi has been a crowd favourite since it was first introduced back in 2005. The little hatchback doesn’t just dominate the new car buying scene but also the used car market as the second-hand car market continues its sales high following the month of July. Previously, it was reported that the used car market has hit an all-time high since the country entered the Recovery Movement Control Order (RMCO) with year-on-year sales spiking over 25 percent in July. The y-o-y grow
Oct 13, 2020
Malaysia’s Budget 2021 was tabled today by Finance Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz, under very unusual CMCO circumstances. There’s nothing specific to the automotive industry, but on the topic of loan moratorium, the government has confirmed that there will be no extension. However, Zafrul explained that the government is putting forward a set of targeted assistance packages for the B40 low income earners, as well as small and medium enterprises. Eligible borrowers can choose betwee
Nov 6, 2020
Even though the country is still undergoing a pandemic, used car sales in Malaysia saw steady growth in 2020. This is despite the fact that used car dealers were severely hit from March to May due to the movement control order (MCO). According to the Federation of Motor and Credit Companies Association of Malaysia (FMCCAM) president, Datuk Tony Khor, the used car industry had only about nine months of business this year as a result. In an interview with StarBiz, he said in thanks to the sales ta
Dec 28, 2020
In 1949, the loan tenure for a VW Beetle was 12 months with an interest rate of 9 % per annum. Things have changed. In Malaysia today, car loan tenures are usually of 5,7, or even 9 years with interest rates hovering around 3% per annum (calculated on principal). Cars are getting more expensive and are almost impossible to purchase without using a loan. But is taking a car loan a bad financial decision? Well, it depends on your financial circumstances (mainly your income), how much you benefit f
Jan 28, 2021
In another act of U-turn, the Ministry of Finance has just announced that there will be no additional interest on hire-purchase (HP) loans for those who took up the 6-month moratorium. This overrules the earlier statement by Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) that the 6-month moratorium will incur interest charges. Borrowers who took up the 6-month moratorium will continue to pay the same monthly installment as before as stated in their HP agreement with their respective banks. The 6-month moratorium is
May 6, 2020
Perdana Menteri Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin yang baru sahaja mengumumkan Pakej Bantuan Khas memberitahu bahawa bantuan moratorium dan pengurangan bayaran balik pinjaman akan terus disediakan. Moratorium, termasuk lanjutan moratorium, dan pengurangan ansuran pinjaman akan ditawarkan oleh bank- bank, seperti yang diumumkan sebelum ini. Lanjutan moratorium yang sedia ada akan dilaksanakan sehingga 30 Jun 2021. Ini bermaksud para peminjam yang telah kehilangan punca pendapatan, samada hilang kerja atau
Jan 19, 2021
We previously reported that second-hand car dealers are experiencing record-high sales in July 2020. It seems the success followed through to the third half of 2020 as well. According to the president of Federation of Motor and Credit Companies Association of Malaysia (FMCCAM), Datuk Tony Khor, the year-on-year sales in July spiked over 25 percent to 37,800 units while both August and September registered over 17 percent year-on-year growth. He attributed the spike in sales to the incentives lik
Oct 12, 2020
It’s time to sell your car. You’ve already figured out how to get the highest price and how to clean the interior, but how do you sell your car without going through a used car dealer? Assuming that you’ve somehow managed to find for a buyer that’s willing to buy your old car, there are some steps to follow before you can sell off your old car. Also Read: Selling your car soon? Here's how to ensure you get the highest price If it’s a cash sale and there’s no outstanding loan, it’s pretty straigh
Apr 6, 2021
“The interest is calculated based on the principal sum and not the remaining balance, that’s crazy!” That was the conversation I had a car company executive who has just been transferred from Europe to Malaysia. The topic of increasingly long loan tenures for auto loans is also becoming a concern in the US but how long is too long for them? 7-year tenure auto loans now make up 20 percent of total US car loans – more than twice as many compared to 10 years ago. To many financial experts in the US
Jul 17, 2020
Menteri Kewangan Dato’ Seri Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz akan berbincang dengan bank mengenai pelanjutan moratorium, yang akan berakhir pada bulan September. Dia mengatakan bahawa kerajaan tidak boleh memaksa bank untuk memanjangkan moratorium pinjaman tetapi perbincangan akan diteruskan dengan pihak bank. "Ada permintaan dari rakyat yang meminta memanjangkan tempoh. Bagi pihak kerajaan, kami masih membincangkan perkara ini dengan bank dan keputusannya benar-benar terserah kepada mereka sama ada mer
Jun 29, 2020
Isuzu Malaysia is paving the path to normalcy for potential Isuzu D-Max customers by offering a moratorium for financing payments on new vehicles purchased from 1 June 2020 till 31 August 2020. Through the Isuzu Deferred Instalment Campaign, the first programme of its kind in the pick-up segment, the company hopes that customers can fortify their earnings by putting their brand new Isuzu D-Max pick-up trucks to work during the deferment period of either three or six months before needing to worr
Jun 15, 2020
Mercedes-Benz Services Malaysia, the leasing and financing arm of Mercedes-Benz Malaysia, will not be granting a 6-month moratorium for its customers, echoing a similar move by BMW Credit Malaysia. Curiously, there is very little chatter about it. To Mercedes-Benz owners, this is almost like a non-issue, which is in sharp contrast to the hoohaa created by BMW customers, who flooded the company’s Facebook page demanding that they be given the same 6-month moratorium on their car’s payments extend
Apr 3, 2020
The highly-anticipated 2020 Proton X50 is finally here, after several preview sessions held across the country. With prices starting from RM 79,200 for the Proton X50 1.5T Standard, it sure does look like a tempting deal, but is your salary enough to sign that loan? Let’s find out more in this article. How much do I need to make? Starting things off is the entry-level Proton X50 1.5T Standard (RM 79,200, on the road, without insurance), the monthly repayment is roughly RM 800 a month, given a 2.
Oct 27, 2020
The Toyota Yaris nameplate isn’t exactly new in Malaysia, as it was first introduced here back in 2006 before getting discontinued a couple of year later. Fast forward to 2019 and UMW Toyota Motor reintroduced the Toyota Yaris in Malaysia, this time based on the NSP151-generation Toyota Vios. In this article, we will take a closer look and see how much you need to make each month before you can apply for a loan to purchase and maintain a Toyota Yaris. How much do I need to make? Starting things
Oct 24, 2020
Ever since Honda Malaysia introduced the tenth-generation Honda Civic a few years ago, it proved to be a very popular model. The facelifted Civic was introduced earlier this year, keeping it fresh for a couple more years. It's an aspirational car for a lot of young buyers, attracting many who can barely afford the car. So in this article, we will take a look and see how much you need to earn before you can afford to buy and maintain a Honda Civic. Taking the entry-level Civic 1.8 S (RM 109,326,
Oct 6, 2020
A couple of weeks ago, Honda Malaysia finally launched the all-new 2020 Honda City, replacing the GM6-generation model that was introduced back in 2014. Unlike the aspirational Honda Civic, the Honda City is aimed a more price-conscious crowd. In this article, we will take a look and see how much you need to earn before you can buy and maintain a Honda City. How much do I need to make? Take for example the entry-spec Honda City 1.5 S (RM 74,191, on the road, excluding insurance), the monthly rep
Oct 18, 2020
Mitsubishi Motors Malaysia recently released the prices of the 2020 Mitsubishi Xpander, a model that will compete directly against the Honda BR-V, Perodua Aruz, and Toyota Rush. In this article, we will take a closer look and see how much you need to make each month before you should apply for a loan to purchase the Mitsubishi Xpander. How much do I need to make? The Mitsubishi Xpander has a starting price of RM 91,358 (on the road, without insurance), meaning that the monthly repayment is rough
Nov 20, 2020
Just recently, official prices of the 2021 Toyota Yaris have been released. It is priced from RM 70,940 onwards for the base Yaris 1.5 J, before topping out at RM 84,808 for the Yaris 1.5 G. Currently, the Yaris competes against the Honda Jazz, but it will be replaced with the Honda City Hatchback in 2021. In this article, we will take a closer look and see how much you need to make each month before you should apply for a loan to purchase the Toyota Yaris. How much do I need to make? The Toyota
Dec 16, 2020
Ever since spyshots of the all-new Nissan Almera started surfacing late last year, the hype started building up for ETCM’s newest B-segment sedan. Fast forward to November and ETCM has revealed prices of its highly-anticipated model. In this article, we will take a closer look and see how much you need to make each month before you should apply for a loan to purchase the all-new Nissan Almera. How much do I need to make? The all-new Nissan Almera has a starting price of RM 79,906 (on the road, w
Nov 4, 2020
UMW Toyota Motor has just announced the official prices of the 2021 Toyota Innova facelift in Malaysia. Prices start from RM 111,622 for the entry-level Innova 2.0 E variant and tops out at RM 129,667 for the Innova 2.0 X variant. Although there is a slight increase in prices across the board for the updated Innova, it is justifiable as UMWT has improved the safety and features of its people mover. Now, you might be thinking what’s the minimum salary needed in order to apply for a loan. Well, yo
Jan 10, 2021
Honda HR-V
Perodua Alza
Honda City
Honda City Hatchback
Toyota Yaris