Chapter in Book

The efforts towards better corporate governance practices of firms in the Malaysian capital market were started by the Securities Commission (SC) as early as 1996 in three-phased shift disclosure-based regulations (DBR). During Phase 1 (1996-1999: Flexible/Hybrid Merit Based Regime), the emphasis was to regulate on disclosure, due diligence and corporate governance. Phase 2 (January 2000: Partial DBR) still focused on corporate disclosure, due diligence and corporate governance, but included focus on promotion of accountability and self-regulation. In Phase 3 (2001 onwards: Full DBR) the SC enforced high standards of disclosure, due diligence and corporate governance as well as exercise of self regulation and responsible conduct ...

Malaysia experienced rapid economic growth at an average annual Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth of 8.5% during the 1990s due to its financial liberalization policy. This rapid growth came to a halt after the impact of the Asian financial crisis occurred on 1997-1998 causing the economy into recession. This prompted the Malaysian government to urgently develop a sophisticated capital market backed by an efficient regulatory framework to instil investors' confidence in order to attract capital inflow from the local and foreign investors to restart the economy.

An audit committee would effectively deliver their duties if there were adequate resources. In the US, the National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD) (2000) pointed out that 'sufficient resources' is one of the three keys to an effective oversight process of an audit committee. Consistently, Treadway Report stressed the importance for an audit eommittee to have adequate resources and authority to effectively discharge their duties (Treadway, 1987) ...

In the first two-thirds of the 1990s, Malaysia experienced rapid economic growth at an average annual Gross Domestic Product (GOP) growth of 8.5%; due to its financial liberalization policy that encourage greater participation of foreign direct investment and strengthening condition of exports. This rapid growth came to a halt with the onset of Asian financial crisis in mid-1997. During that time, the combination of sudden reversals in the net capital flow, exchange rate depreciation/devaluation, crash in stock market, fire sales on asset, corporate distress, and credit contraction lead the economy into recession.

Timely disclosure and transparency of material information is a hallmark of good governance, and is indispensable to strong financial markets. The growing interest in strengthening corporate governance internationally is due to the many cases of corporate abuse by public listed companies such as Bank of Credit and Commerce International (BCCI), Credit Lyonnais Bank, Barings Bank, Daiwa, Poly Peck, Maxwell, Sumitomo, Enron and Worldcom.

The efforts towards better corporate governance practices of firms in the Malaysian capital market were started by the Securities Commission (SC) as early as 1996 in three-phased shift disclosure-based regulations (DBR). During Phase 1 (1996-1999: Flexible/Hybrid Merit Based Regime), the emphasis was to regulate on disclosure, due diligence and corporate governance. Phase 2 (January 2000: Partial DBR) still focused on corporate disclosure, due diligence and corporate governance, but included focus on promotion of accountability and self-regulation. In Phase 3 (2001 onwards: Full DBR) the SC enforced high standards of disclosure, due diligence and corporate governance as well as exercise of self regulation and responsible conduct.