Hallmarks of a good central banker

AT the heart of the hotly debated topic pertaining to the successor of Tan Sri Dr Zeti Akhtar Aziz as Bank Negara governor is the apprehension that the new person would be someone with leanings towards Putrajaya in managing the monetary policies of the country.

In the last few months, Bank Negara has not only been seen as the institution that has managed the stability of the financial system well, especially post-1998 crisis, but it is also seen by the man on the street as the guardian of integrity in handling public funds, distinctly after its probe into the affairs of 1Malaysia Development Bhd.