KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 22 ― Bank Negara Malaysia’s (BNM) international reserves amounted to US$101.7 billion (RM420.5 billion) as at January 15, 2019, slightly higher than US$101.4 billion as at December 31, 2018.

"The reserves position is sufficient to finance 7.3 months of retained imports and is 1.0 time the short-term external debt,” the central bank said in a statement today.

The main components of the international reserves comprised foreign currency reserves at US$95.8 billion, International Monetary Fund reserves position (US$900 million), Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) (US$1.1 billion), gold (US$1.6 billion) and other reserve assets (US$2.3 billion).

BNM said assets included gold and foreign exchange and other reserves including SDRs which amounted to RM420.44 billion, Malaysian government papers (RM3.39 billion), deposits with financial institutions (RM1.31 billion), loans and advances (RM6.95 billion), land and buildings (RM4.17 billion), and other assets (RM11.618 billion).

Liabilities comprised paid-up capital (RM100 million), reserves (RM132.70 billion), currency in circulation (RM108.4 billion), deposits by financial institutions (RM159.79 billion), federal government deposits (RM18.08 billion), other deposits (RM735.23 million), BNM papers (RM18.78 billion), allocation of SDRs (RM7.74 billion), and other liabilities (RM1.55 billion). ― Bernama