Empirical Evidence of Risks of Public-Loan Finance: Comparison between Self-Employers and SMEs

Public financial loans are very complex. However, previous research has largely neglected the effective management of public funds. More specifically, how to maintain the optimal balance between small businesses and loan providers for managing public funds over time remains unclear. Moreover, little is known about how public funds should be managed to increase survival periods, which are directly related to these institutions’ financial stability. This study tests the difference between public fund borrowers and providers from perspectives on their long-term survival and compares survival periods using 499,554 guaranteed loans. The findings show that 85% guarantee ratios and high credit ratings help increase survival periods. The findings also show that individual-based borrowers, such as self-employers, have a strong tendency to survive much longer than SMEs. Finally, our study extends the literature by offering a risk theory perspective on public financial institutions that explains how guarantee ratios and credit ratings affect the survival periods of borrowers, resulting in these institutions’ financial soundness.

Socioeconomic Impact of COVID-19 in MENA region and the Role of Islamic Finance

This paper analyses the socio-economic impact of the noble Corona virus (COVID-19) on ‘Middle East and North Africa’ (MENA) region as well as the role and opportunities of Islamic finance post COVID-19. The findings show that pandemic has affected the MENA region massively like any other region in the world. Since around 69% of the word’s crude oil supply is from this region alone, this causes it to suffer from dual shocks of COVID-19 pandemic as well as the declining crude prices that is caused by shocks from both ends, negative supply shock and a negative demand shock. The 19 countries in MENA region include from some of the richest countries of the world such as, Qatar, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia, to some of the most vulnerable, poor and war ridden countries like Yemen, Syria, and Morocco. To mitigate the adverse effects of the pandemic, we suggest some immediate actions that can be taken such as a public fund to support health system, financial support to individuals and SME’s, financial support to corporations in order to prevent job loss and layoff and assurance of liquidity in domestic markets to prevent liquidity crunch. Finally, the paper analyses the role of Islamic finance in the region in recovery post COVID-19 and show that Islamic finance can be utilized as an alternative financial system in providing the relief to the COVID-19 affected people and entrepren

Corruption and integrity in the urban water and sanitation sector: A case study of Mexico City

Despite considerable public funding, Mexico City faces inadequate and inequitably distributed water infrastructure. Corruption in public fund management and at the interface between institutions and individuals is fed by opaque governing systems. Local actors agree that sustainable water management must begin with systemic changes to enable transparent and participative governance.

The Development of Auditing in the Public Sector in Albania and Responsible Institutions

Auditing in the public sector has evolved over the years to meet the needs of a business environment that is constantly changing. In an effort to help organizations achieve an accurate assessment of risk and business development, internal audit plays a particularly important role. Although internal audit has existed since the beginning of human civilization, in Albania it developed much later. The economic and financial development of Albania over the last decades, in the context of economic globalization, has had a significant impact on auditing institutions, that have to do their best to measure the efficiency of public fund usage. This paper aims to analyze the historical development of auditing in the public sector, and measure by quantification the performance of the institutions that have been responsible for organizing auditing in the public sector in Albania, as well as identifying the national and international policies that have brought about the introduction and evolution of the audit concept. Recognizing the genesis of the public sector audit activity and the progress of the responsible institutions, we can understand the current situation and the needs for change that would increase the efficiency of work in those institutions.

Pengawasan Internal Perspektif Maqāṣid Al-Syarīʻah (Analisis Peraturan Pemerintah No. 60 Tahun 2008 tentang Sistem Pengendalian Intern Pemerintah)

Abstrak: Tujuan penelitian adalah untuk mengetahui bagaimana perspektif maqāṣid al-syarīʻah terhadap pengawasan internal yang terkandung dalam Peraturan Pemerintah No. 60 Tahun 2008 tentang Sistem Pengendalian Intern Pemerintah. Penelitian dilakukan dengan metode penelitian kepustakaan dengan pendekatan yuridis-normatif yang dipadukan dengan pendekatan maqāṣidī. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa pengawasan internal secara maqāṣid al-syarīʻah, dianggap sebagai bagian dari al-maṣlaḥah al-ḥājjiyyah, dan berfungsi sebagai wasā‟il (sarana). Pengawasan internal merupakan sarana untuk memudahkan penyelenggaraan pelayanan publik supaya dapat berjalan sesuai dengan aturan yang telah Allah tetapkan. Pengawasan internal merupakan bagian dari pemeliharaan agama dan harta dalam wujud pelaksanaan amar makruf nahi mungkar dan pertanggung jawaban terhadap amanah serta pemeliharaan atas harta umum (public fund). Sehingga dapat disimpulkan bahwa secara umum konsep pengawasan internal yang diamanahkan dalam Peraturan Pemerintah tersebut telah sesuai dengan apa yang diinginkan oleh syarak, hanya saja masih harus dilakukan penyempurnaan pada sistem pengawasannya agar apa yang diinginkan oleh syarak dapat terimplementasi dengan baik.Abstract: The aim of the research is to find out how the perspective of maqāṣid al-syarīʻah towards internal supervision contained in Government Regulation No. 60 of 2008 About the Government Internal Control System. The study was conducted with a literature research method with a juridical-normative approach combined with the maqāṣidī approach. The results showed that internal supervision by maqāṣid al-syarīʻah, was considered as part of al-maṣlaḥah al-jiājjiyyah, and functioned as wasā'il (means). Internal supervision is a means to facilitate the implementation of public services so that they can run according to the rules that God has set. Internal supervision is part of the maintenance of religion and assets in the form of the implementation of amar makruf nahi mungkar and accountability for the mandate and maintenance of public assets (public funds). So it can be concluded that in general the concept of internal supervision mandated in the Government Regulation is in accordance with what is desired by the sharak, only that improvements must be made to its monitoring system so that what is desired by the sharak can be implemented properly.