Oleh/By  	:	DATO SERI DR MAHATHIR BIN MOHAMAD
Tempat/Venue	:	PUTRA WORLD TRADE CENTRE, 
			KUALA LUMPUR
Tarikh/Date	:	01/11/2002
Tajuk/Title 	:	THE KUALA LUMPUR INTERNATIONAL 	
			MONEY FAIR (KLIMOF) 2002
Versi 		:	ENGLISH
Penyampai	:  	PM
		    

        I  would like to thank the organisers for inviting
   me  to  officiate the inauguration of the  Kuala  Lumpur
   International  Money  Fair (KLIMOF)  2002.   This  Money
   Fair  is  a  historic event for the Malaysian numismatic
   community.
   
   2.    The KLIMOF exhibition and conference offers a one-
   stop  centre for visitors and investors alike  to  learn
   about  collecting and valuing coins and notes.  Together
   with    its   concurrent   events   --   Kuala    Lumpur
   International  Investment Fair  2002  and  Kuala  Lumpur
   International Collectible Fair 2002 -- KLIMOF 2002  will
   certainly  provide  a  vast range of  opportunities  for
   industry  professionals  and entrepreneurs  to  showcase
   their cutting-edge businesses, products and services.
   
   3.    The  KL International Money Fair was initiated  by
   the  Royal  Mint  of  Malaysia with  the  aim  to  bring
   together  both  local and foreign numismatic  collectors
   in  this  world-class exhibition, the first of its  kind
   ever held in Malaysia.
   
   4.    The coins and notes that are being displayed today
   illustrate  how  payment systems  throughout  the  world
   have  evolved over the centuries. Money is a  medium  of
   exchange.   It  determines the value  of  the  goods  or
   services   being   offered   for   sale   or   purchase.
   Accordingly  the  need to barter goods  or  services  is
   eliminated.   Trade  becomes  easier  and  commerce   is
   enhanced.   More wealth is created for all.
   
   5.    With  the advancement of global economies and  the
   increased  sophistication of trade and  financial  flows
   and,  more  recently,  the  rapid  development  of   the
   Internet  and electronic commerce, the role of money  in
   the physical form is changing.
   
   6.    Indeed,  transactions of goods  and  services  and
   even  capital flows can take place with a phone call  or
   the  touch of a computer keyboard. There need not be any
   physical cash transactions.
   
   7.    These  developments suggest that money in  today's
   definition  is just information which can be transmitted
   electronically to facilitate business transactions.   As
   a  result, the usage of coins and notes will decrease as
   e-commerce expands.  It is perhaps worthwhile to  recall
   that the currency which the currency traders bought  and
   sold  were mere figures on computer screens.  The  money
   when  it was finally delivered involved only the  change
   in  the  names of the owners of bank accounts.  No  real
   money  changed  hands.  Clearly figures  on  a  computer
   screen  have taken the place of money.  Yet  the  effect
   can be devastating for whole countries and businesses.
   
   8.    Credit  cards and E-commerce will make the  supply
   of  physical  money  less necessary.   Numismatists  are
   going  to find collecting money less easy.  This may  in
   fact  increase the interest of numismatists and  add  to
   their  numbers.    Indeed,  coins  and  notes  will   be
   transformed  from  an  item  of  economic  value  to   a
   collectible item, which will be treasured by  coins  and
   notes enthusiasts.
   
   9.    The  South  East  Asian region and  in  particular
   Malaysia  has  a  rich heritage of  money.   Before  the
   evolution   of  modern  coins  and  notes,   communities
   throughout  the  Malay Archipelago  used  various  items
   such  as  shells as medium of exchange.  These items  as
   well as notes and coins in Malaysia have contributed  to
   the  storehouse  of  collectibles for  coins  and  notes
   enthusiasts.
   
   10.  Numismatic is a rewarding hobby, in every sense  of
   the word.   Indeed, the collection of rare coins can  be
   a  form  of investment, which may increase in  value  in
   the future.
   
   11.   For  example, the Malaysian ten-cent coin,  issued
   by  Bank  Negara Malaysia as recently as 1971 is  traded
   among  collectors  for  about RM120  a  piece.  This  is
   because  of  the relative rarity due to limited  mintage
   of  the coin, totalling about 48,000 pieces only.  There
   are  also  other  commemorative  coins  issued  by  Bank
   Negara  Malaysia to mark historical events,  which  have
   now become collectors' items.
   
   12.   There  are  now market players and  collectors  in
   every  major  city  in  the world.  Major  international
   money  fairs  are  being held regularly  throughout  the
   world to tap into this lucrative market.
   
   13.    The  development  of  the  secondary  market   is
   important   to  sustain  the  continuing   interest   in
   numismatic  collectibles.   This  would  require  strong
   commitment   of   all  parties  including   the   mints,
   collectors and secondary market dealers.
   
   14.   Indeed, it would be in the interest of  the  world
   mints,  including the Royal Mint of Malaysia, to nurture
   and  develop further the secondary market that trade  in
   new  and  old coins and notes.  Efforts should  also  be
   made  to  establish  an infrastructure  to  support  the
   transactions  amongst  collectors and  secondary  market
   dealers.
   
   15.   To  facilitate the transactions in  the  secondary
   market,  a  systematic way of disseminating  information
   among  the  market  participants  should  be  developed.
   These  should  include setting up a formal exchange  for
   the  secondary  market.  This  exchange  would  help  to
   provide integrity in the transaction of collectibles.
   
   16.   In this context, we see that the role of the Royal
   Mint  of  Malaysia like other world mints  is  changing.
   Going  forward, the role of the Royal Mint  of  Malaysia
   should  expand beyond just producing coins  for  general
   circulation.    The Royal Mint of Malaysia  should  take
   on   a  greater  role  in  promoting  the  interest   in
   collectibles in Malaysia and the region.
   
   17.   I  note  that  the  Royal  Mint  of  Malaysia  has
   expanded  its capabilities to produce high quality  gift
   items  including porcelain figurines, plates, silverware
   and medallions.
   
   18.   I  believe there is a great potential for  quality
   collectibles  and  gift items. The  Tourist  Development
   Corporation  of  Malaysia  has estimated  that  tourists
   visiting  the  country spend about RM9  billion  a  year
   buying  goods.   About 20 percent of this  is  spent  on
   collectible  products; therefore there is  almost  RM1.8
   billion worth of this market to tap.  Indeed, the  Royal
   Mint  of  Malaysia  is positioned not  only  to  produce
   circulation   coins,  but  also  fine   numismatic   and
   collectible  items  for  both the  domestic  and  export
   markets.
   
   19.   In  Malaysia, there is still room for  development
   in  the numismatic market. I hope that the Royal Mint of
   Malaysia and the Malaysian Numismatic Society, with  the
   support  of Bank Negara Malaysia, will jointly  initiate
   promotional  activities  to  nurture  the  interest   in
   numismatic  as  a hobby and to develop  the  market  for
   collectible  coins and notes into a viable industry.   I
   am  confident that this exhibition will help to  enhance
   the interest in numismatics among Malaysians.
   
   20.   I  would  like  to congratulate  the  host  of  KL
   International  Money  Fair  2002,  The  Royal  Mint   of
   Malaysia,  and the organiser PROTEMP Sdn Bhd  for  their
   efforts in making this event a success.
   
   21.   This event has also received the support from Bank
   Negara  Malaysia  and the Malaysian Numismatic  Society.
   I  hope  this  will  become an annual event,  which  the
   international numismatic community can look forward to.
   
   22.   I  now  have pleasure to declare The Kuala  Lumpur
   International Money 2002 Fair open.

   Sumber : Pejabat Perdana Menteri