Bank Negara governor has reason to turn more dovish

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia’s new central bank governor presides over her first interest-rate meeting in a better position than most of her peers in Southeast Asia.

Unlike her counterparts in Indonesia and the Philippines -- who are ramping up rate hikes to defend their currencies -- Datuk Nor Shamsiah Mohd Yunus doesn’t have to do anything for now. Even in Thailand, where rates have been on hold for more than three years and inflation is low, officials are discussing policy normalization following the baht’s slump in the past three months.