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Dow Jones Indexes And RHB Launch New Index For Shari’ah Compliant Stocks - New Index Part of Global Dow Jones Islamic Market Index Family

Date 23/06/2005

Dow Jones Indexes, a leading global index provider, and RHB Securities Sdn Bhd today announced the launch of the Dow Jones-RHB Islamic Malaysia Index. The new index was developed jointly by Dow Jones Indexes and RHB Research Institute Sdn Bhd and will replace the RHB Islamic Index that has been in use since May 1996.

The Dow Jones-RHB Islamic Malaysia Index is part of the Dow Jones Islamic Market Index series, and follows the methodology of the Sharia’h compliant index family. The index, which is based on internationally acknowledged Islamic finance standards, has been developed specifically to meet the growing demand for Shari’ah compliant equity indexes—specifically for the Malaysian market. The Dow Jones Shari’ah Supervisory Board, a group of international Shari’ah scholars, oversees the execution of the Shari’ah standards used by Dow Jones Indexes.

“The launch of the Dow Jones-RHB Islamic Malaysia Index marks another major step in our effort to provide a Shari’ah compliant index family that covers all countries that have significant Islamic-based investment criteria,” said Lars Hamich, managing director of STOXX Ltd., the joint venture that is responsible for Dow Jones Indexes’ business development in Asia, Europe and the Middle East. “Equally important, the index is available and accessible to institutional and eventually retail investors all over the world.”

Executive Chairman of RHB Capital Bhd (“RHB Capital”) Dato Sri Sulaiman Abdul Rahman Taib said that apart from catering to the needs of Malaysian investors, the new Islamic index was expected to draw new investors from the Gulf States, Europe and the United States to Malaysia and other Asian markets. “The new index will complement the KLSE Shari’ah Index,” he said.

Stocks that are excluded from the Islamic index are those of companies that deal in alcohol and tobacco products, pork-related products, financial services, the defense and weaponry sector, and entertainment.

Also excluded are companies whose total debt divided by trailing 12-month average market capitalization is 33% or more; those whose cash plus interest-bearing securities divided by trailing 12-month average market capitalization is 33% or more; and those whose accounts receivables divided by trailing 12-month average market capitalization is 33% or more.

A total of 45 companies are currently included in the Dow Jones-RHB Islamic Malaysia Index.

Members of the Dow Jones Shari’ah Supervisory Board are: Shaykh Nizam Yaquby, Bahrain; Sheikh Dr. Mohd Daud Baker, Malaysia; Shaykh Justice Muhammad Taqi Usmani, Pakistan; Shaykh Dr. Mohamed A. Elgari, Saudi Arabia; Shaykh Abdul Sattar Abu Ghuddah, Syria; Shaykh Yusuf Talal DeLorenzo, U.S.

Further information on the Dow Jones-RHB Islamic Malaysia Index, as well as the Dow Jones Islamic Market Indexes, can be found on www.djindexes.com.