KUALA LUMPUR (Sept 02): Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) has launched the Digital Conversation Starter, a digital application for Islamic finance, at the Global Islamic Finance Forum 2014 (GIFF 2014) today.

"The launch of the digital application for Islamic finance is a further pioneering platform to facilitate sharing of information and for greater engagement, including between industry players that transcend borders,” said Tan Sri Dr Zeti Akhtar Aziz, governor of BNM, during her keynote address.

“As a catalyst to improve market access and enhance outreach, technology has the potential to disseminate information more efficiently, to promote greater market transparency and price discovery,” she added.

The GIFF 2014 mobile application, while providing information about the forum itself, is also a communication tool which allows those with the application to communicate with each other, long after the forum ends.

Datuk Mohd Redza Shah Abdul Wahid, president of the Association of Islamic Banking Institutions Malaysia, hopes the application will assist in realising GIFF 2014’s target to develop global linkages.

Meanwhile, the Export-Import Bank of Malaysia Bhd's (MEXIM) US$300 million five-year sukuk, issued earlier in February 2014, has been issued the “Emas” status by BNM.

"MEXIM's sukuk represents the first sukuk issuance by an export-import bank and attracted a demand of more than 10 times its issuance size. This is the 14th issuance to be granted "Emas" status," said BNM in a press statement.