UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI MARA

CLIENT PROTECTION AND SUSTAINABILITY OF ISLAMIC

MICROFINANCE INSTITUTION: EVIDENCE FROM AMANAH

IKHTIAR MALAYSIA

NOR MAISARAH BINTI BAKAR

Thesis submitted in fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of

Master of Science

Faculty of Accountancy

April 2016

CONFIRMATION BY PANEL OF EXAMINERS

I certify that a Panel of Examiners has met on 06 November 2015 to conduct the final examination of Nor Maisarah Binti Bakar on her Master of Science thesis entitled "Client Protection and Sustainability of Islamic Microfinance Institution : Evidence From Amanah Ikhtiar Malaysia" in accordance with Universiti Teknologi MARA Act 1976 (Akta 173). The Panel of Examiners recommends that the student be awarded the relevant degree. The panel of Examiners was as follows:

Dato' Mustafa Mohamed Zain, PhD Professor Faculty of Accountancy Universiti Teknologi Mara (Chairman)

Norli Ali, PhD Associate Professor Faculty of Accountancy Universiti Teknologi Mara (Internal Examiner)

Mahamad Tayib, PhD Professor Othman Yeop Abdullah Graduate School of Business Universiti Utara Malaysia (External Examiner)

SITI HALIJJAH SHARIFF, PhD Associate Professor Dean Institute of Graduates Studies Universiti Teknologi MARA Date :30th March 2016

n

AUTHOR'S DECLARATION

I declare that work relating to this thesis was carried out in accordance with

regulations of Universiti Teknologi MARA. It is original and the results of my own

work otherwise indicated or acknowledged as referenced work. This thesis is never

been submitted to any other academic institution or non-academic institution for any

degree of qualification.

I hereby, acknowledge that I have been supplied with the Academic Rules and

Regulations for Post Graduate, Universiti Teknologi MARA, regulating the conduct of

my study and research.

Name of Student

Student ID No

Programme

Faculty

Thesis Title

Signature of Student

Date

Nor Maisarah Binti Bakar

2012734945

Master of Science - AC 750

Accountancy

Client Protection and Sustainability of Islamic

Micro finance Institution: Evidence From

Ama^ah Ikhtiar Malaysia

April 2016

MI

ABSTRACT

Islamic microfinance Institutions (IMFIs) provide credit to poor recipients, enabling them to gain access to financial assistance, while at the same time having their rights protected. To ensure that clients are protected, all IMFIs should adhere to basic corporate governance principles in ensuring uniform standards, transparency and good corporate governance practices in their institutions. This study explores on the client protection practices and sustainability of Amanah Ikhtiar Malaysia (AIM). The main objective of this study is to examine if client protection affects the sustainability of AIM. The main source of information is the questionnaire survey that has been conducted by taking AIM staff as respondents. Finding shows that the level of client protection in AIM is high. It shows that AIM has high awareness regarding client protection issue. Further analysis shows that accountability and debt collection process have significantly influence the level of sustainability of AIM whereas transparency and transaction costs have insignificantly impact the level of sustainability of AIM. This result implies that having better debt collection process policy and accountability will enhance the level of sustainability of AIM. This study has exclusively contributed to the industry of Islamic microfinance which it gives focuses on client protection issues, which is lacking in Malaysia. This also can be practiced by other IMFIs to ensure that they can sustain in the market for foreseeable future.

IV

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page

CONFIRMATION BY PANEL OF EXAMINERS ii

AUTHOR'S DECLARATION iii

ABSTRACT iii

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT v

LISTS OF TABLES ix

LIST OF FIGURES x

LIST OF SYMBOLS xi

LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS xii

CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION 1

1.1 Introduction 1

1.2 Background of The Present Study 1

1.3 Definition 4

1.4 Problem Statement 10

1.5 Research Objectives 12

1.6 Research Questions 12

1.7 Research Methodology 13

1.8 Significance of the Study 13

1.9 Scope and Limitations 14

1.10 Organisation of the Thesis 14

CHAPTER TWO: BACKGROUND OF STUDY 16

2.1 Introduction 16

2.2 Level of Poverty 16

2.3 Practices of Micro finance around the World 20

2.4 Micro finance in Malaysia 22

2.5 Islamic Microfinance 25

2.7 Chapter Summary 29

VI

ABSTRACTTABLE OF CONTENTSCHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION1.1 INTRODUCTION1.2 BACKGROUND OF THE MICROFINANCE INSTITUTIONS1.3 DEFINITION1.3.1 Microfinance and Islamic Microfinance1.3.2 Sustainability1.3.3 Client Protection

1.4 PROBLEM STATEMENT1.5 RESEARCH OBJECTIVES1.6 RESEARCH QUESTIONS1.7 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY1.8 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY1.9 SCOPE AND LIMITATIONS1.10 ORGANISATION OF THE THESIS

CHAPTER TWO BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY2.1 INTRODUCTION2.2 LEVEL OF POVERTY2.3 PRACTICES OF MICROFINANCE AROUND THE WORLD2.4 MICROFINANCE IN MALAYSIA2.5 ISLAMIC MICROFINANCE2.6 CHAPTER SUMMARY

CHAPTER THREE LITERATURE REVIEW ON CLIENT PROTECTION ANDSUSTAINABILITY OF ISLAMIC MICROFINANCEINSTITUTIONS3.1 INTRODUCTION3.2 THEORIES3.2.1 Stakeholder Theory3.2.2 Institutional Theory3.2.3 Agency Theory

3.3 SUSTAINABILITY OF MICROFINANCE INSTITUTIONS3.3.1 Financial Sustainability3.3.2 Operational Sustainability

3.4 CLIENT PROTECTION DETERMINANTS3.4.1 Transparency3.4.2 Accountability3.4.3 Transaction Costs3.4.4 Organizational Policy on Debt Collection Process

3.5 RESEARCH FRAMEWORK3.6 CHAPTER SUMMARY

CHAPTER FOUR RESEARCH METHODOLOGY4.1 INTRODUCTION4.2 METHODOLOGY4.3 BACKGROUND OF AIM4.4 SAMPLING AND DATA COLLECTION4.5 PRELIMINARY AND PILOT TEST4.6 QUESTIONNAIRE ADMINISTRATION4.7 VARIABLES AND MEASUREMENT4.8 HYPOTHESES DEVELOPMENT4.8.1 Transparency in serving clients4.8.2 Accountability4.8.3 Transaction Cost4.8.4 Organizational Policy on Debt Collection Process

4.9 DATA ANALYSIS4.9.1 Preliminary Tests4.9.2 Statistical Analysis Techniques

4.10 CHAPTER SUMMARY

CHAPTER FIVE ANALYSIS AND FINDINGS5.1 CHAPTER DESCRIPTION5.2 PRELIMINARY ANALYSIS5.2.1 Respondents' Profile

5.3 NORMALITY TEST5.4 PILOT TEST - RELIABILITY TEST5.5 DESCRIPTIVE ANALYSIS5.5.1 Clients Protection Dimensions5.5.2 Sustainability of AIM

5.6 MULTIPLE REGRESSION5.6.1 Test of Correlation5.6.2 Collinearity Diagnostics5.6.3 Regression Analysis of Client Protection and Sustainability of AIM

5.7 DISCUSSION ON REGRESSION RESULT5.8 CHAPTER SUMMARY

CHAPTER SIX CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION6.1 CHAPTER DESCRIPTION6.2 OVERVIEW OF STUDY6.3 SUMMARY OF RESEARCH HYPOTHESES, OBJECTIVES ANDMETHODS6.4 SUMMARY OF FINDINGS6.5 LIMITATION OF THE STUDY6.6 CONTRIBUTIONS AND IMPLICATIONS6.7 RECOMMENDATION FOR FUTURE RESEARCH6.8 CHAPTER SUMMARYREFERENCESAPPENDIX