Why Malaysia’s Currency Has Been Falling: Can The Ringgit Recover? | Insight | Full Episode

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Published 2024-05-07
In February this year, the Malaysian currency, the ringgit, suffered its steepest decline in 26 years. It briefly slipped past MYR 4.8 against the US dollar, its weakest since reaching an all-time low of 4.88 during the 1998 Asian Financial Crisis.

This has caused a strain on the country’s key industries - from the airlines to manufacturing - due to higher fuel prices and cost of raw materials. It has shaken investor confidence and accelerated outward migration.

Why has the ringgit lost so much of its value? Could the depreciating ringgit spell trouble for Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim? As the government projects a recovery, is a turnaround in sight?

0:00 Introduction
1:13 Impact of falling ringgit
04:59 Why the ringgit has fallen
10:11 How a lower ringgit affects trade
15:23 Depreciation of ringgit compared to S'pore dollar
17:50 Fall of ringgit: brain drain?
25:48 Impact of low ringgit on overseas students
28:14 Advantages of a weak ringgit
34:37 Does the falling ringgit echo the 1998 Asian financial crisis?
39:38 Will the ringgit slide rattle PM Anwar's government?
42:14 Will the ringgit recover?

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All Comments (21)
  • 15:01 the Malaysian container driver says he’s bought 2 houses in Malaysia due to his working in Singapore, and if his motorcycle breaks down, he’s able to buy a new motorcycle with his one month salary. It’s no surprise why many Malaysians are willing to endure the hours of traveling to and fro, between Malaysia and Singapore everyday because they’ll be able to give their families a better life.
  • Oil revenue from East Malaysia for 60+ years all went missing. Malaysia really boleh. 😂😂😂😂
  • @wumao6797
    Some bankers are telling me that they are projecting the rate of exchange might hit 1:5 in the next 10years if MY continue the way they run their finances.
  • @MCMZ679
    It is interesting to see common Malaysians complaining about rising prices in the beginning, followed by comments by experts of Malaysia’s inflation is low/well controlled.
  • @liberaltart7531
    Again seeing CNA trying to deflecting Singapore’s own problem of sky high cost of living especially on rent by showcasing its neighbour problems. If Singapore is doing very well, I bet they will just keep quiet and while enjoying the advantage of low MYR. Thus I believe their government are seeing huge foreign investments and jobs are taken up by Malaysia as depreciating Ringgit is value for their money, they now doing propaganda to pacify the populace that loses job to Malaysian that command less pay. Similar trick like how US is doing to China. So good sign for Malaysia.
  • @richlandzee8686
    Ya know....I should indirectly thank the government for this one. I graduated from a top tier government high school in Malaysia and many of our bright minded students who are from rich families left for Australia right after SPM and didn't bother to waste 2 more years of STPM to decide their fate. All end up being doctors and engineers. I was in limbo for a few years before my golden opportunity to study overseas in US came. 30 years later, here I am working and living in TX, looking to retire in a few years and I never looked back. I remember during the early years of my engineering career, my parents told me about how the government is using cash to entice Malaysians with technical backgrounds to return home. I laughed. They really need to ask themselves whatever happened to those they sent overseas with full scholarships and I think I know the answer to that.
  • @davidnhc
    I hope Ringgit will go up and SGD will go higher.
  • @minthuaung7229
    Malaysia has a lot of room to grow. Overall experience was good when I visited Malaysia last year. The only thing that needs to improve is immigration. I had to queue for almost 3 hours to go through immigration and the immigration staff were not friendly at all. I hope they can be improved over time.
  • Malaysia exports a lot of oil and gas. It received the monies in usd as oil and gas are priced in usd. The government have lots of myr when the oil and gas usd monies are exchanged into myr. The big issue in mal is that there are too many subsidies in the economy. There are lots of subsidies to government servants, poor , race based etc. The government should force the people to work harder by cutting down the subsidies during the good times not during the bad times. The government sector is too big. Too much expenditure. Too much oil subsidies as well. Malaysia have wisely chosen to keep a low interest rate instead of following the feds. Ringgit would naturally fall as the int rate in Malaysia is lower. Housing loans is only 3.8%. Singapore is 4-5%. US is 7%.
  • @ECOSAM_
    It's more important than ever to support each other. Buying local helps all of us in Singapore thrive. Let’s do this together! 🌟
  • @chiaolim7773
    Malaysian Ringgit’s value is a reflection of its policies that prevents the economy to move up the value chain. Subsidies might help the people but in the long run, it will bankrupt the government which also affects the ringgit so it’s a vicious cycle!
  • @colombard140
    ❤❤❤ According to the IMF Malaysia's Purchasing Power Parity GDP or PPPGDP for 2024 is $1,307 billion and is the 30th largest PPPGDP in the world. The nominal GDP is however only $445 billion. What this means is that the RINGGIT is GROSSLY UNDERVALUED. The purchasing power parity GDP is a much better indicator of a country's economy because what you can buy locally with your local currency is far more relevant than what you can get with the same amount of money in a distant foreign land. 😂
  • @maccheese8379
    As an Indonesian, i am looking forward to see Malaysia being close to Singapore. Drop racial and religious segregation, Indonesia has the same symptoms and it's detrimental to it's growth, the future of Indonesia are not that bright too. We'll see.
  • @yuki_anesa1621
    This is why I keep all my net worth in anything BUT the ringgit lol. I am ready and hedged against Malaysia's eventual collapse. The majority malays would rather sink the ship than to change its race based policies that is ailing the nation's competitiveness on the world stage.
  • @lingth
    As a someone said..WHAT local brand? Even the LOCAL currry puff uses imported Flour. Coffee is imported.. i dun think they grow coffee beans in Malaysia, so your local kopi is not so local.. the sugar in ur kopi-O is also imported.. so ur Roti Canai uses imported flour, ur kopi uses imported coffee powder and imported sugar..
  • @joesarb6455
    Singaporeans should be more concerned about rising living cost on our home turf and rising local unemployment that's being taken over by the very manpower that we're commenting on. Many Malaysians are so lucky because Singapore is only a stone's throw away to be able to earn better incomes and live better lives for themselves. While Singaporeans can't return the favour but have to travel far and wide.
  • @theanalyst2018
    Need to empowered more of local product development and informal sector while too much depend on formal sector will hurt if global economy is in uncertain situation
  • @kuangcheng4589
    continue with race based policies and i wont be surprised SGD 1 = RM 4. favouring not the best, but the skin colour will drive more capable malaysians overseas.