QUOTE(topearn @ Oct 31 2013, 12:08 PM)
Agree. Bank deposits (up to a certain limit, probably RM100,000) guarantee by a company call PIDM which is owned by the government while this sukuk is guarantee by government...same iron-clad guarantee...both by govt....so your principal it's perfectly safe.
PIDM is Rm250K.
PIDM is government agency that run an insurance scheme whereby banks do pay insurance premium in order depositor holders get RM250k guaranteed protection from the insurance.
While sukuk guaranteed by gov, is a bond that guaranteed by gov without any insurance scheme in place like PIDM.
So their structure is different, although both are tightly related to gov.
Bank deposit safe or not, has 2 layer protection.
1. First layer protection. The bank financial sound, and has adequate capital to meet the liabilities, then your deposit is safe, disregard the PIDM or gov defaulting.
As even gov default their bond, if bank is financial sound, your deposit is still safe.
2. Second layer,PIDM protection only need to be activated if the bank defaulted.
For, sukuk/bond
1. Ability of issuing company to repay.
2. Gov fulfill the obligation of guarantee (if it is guaranteed by gov)
So both have distinct difference.
As you can have a scenario that gov defaulted, while bank still sound, means deposit still safe.
While if gov has financial problem, the those bond guaranteed by gov, may have a risk being defaulted, if can't be redeemed by the issuing company.
Gov can default, if financial situation really turn really really bad time.
So I do not think, it is a right word to use "perfect safe" instrument even though it is gov owed/guaranteed. Although it is unlikely to happen is most of time. there were a few gov did default before.
Also I do not think it is right to group together FD and Sukuk/bond guaranteed by gov, they do have distinct difference.
Yes, the sukuk is quite safe, but cannot say it is as safe as FD or same as FD. They are different.
This post has been edited by cherroy: Nov 2 2013, 03:52 PM