
CPO futures expected to trade with downward bias next week
Interband Group of Companies senior palm oil trader Jim Teh said the palm oil stock in June is high, at about two million tonnes; hence, prices are expected to trade in a tight range between RM3,800 per tonne and RM3,900 per tonne next week.
"The physical demand for palm oil would come from China, India, Pakistan, the Middle East and European countries," he told Bernama.
Similarly, palm oil trader David Ng said the rising output and stock levels of CPO in Malaysia will be the market focus next week.
He said Russia's announcement on the suspension of export duty for sunflower oil, as reported, might have a short-term impact on CPO prices.
"We expect prices to trade between RM4,150 per tonne and RM4,300 per tonne next week," he said.
On a weekly basis, the August 2025 contract slid RM41 to RM4,221 per tonne, while the September 2025 contract shrank RM51 to RM4,258 per tonne, and the October 2025 contract shed RM42 to RM4,273 per tonne.
The November 2025 contract inched down RM22 to RM4,283 per tonne, December 2025 remained unchanged from last week at RM4,290 per tonne, and January 2026 gained RM15 to RM4,290 per tonne.
The weekly trading volume shrank to 385,858 lots from 555,657 lots last week, while open interest went down to 229,303 contracts from 237,735 contracts.
The physical CPO price for July South was RM60 lower at RM4,230 per tonne.
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'Overall, a hibah can be challenged if it doesn't meet religious or legal conditions. 'But if it is properly executed in line with syariah principles and legal requirements, it is usually upheld as valid, even if contested,' he explains. Understanding the procedures On experts and estate planning practitioners' assertion that hibah remains a relevant instrument for asset distribution as long as the procedures are carried out properly, Mahmud says the fact that hibah can be challenged does not mean it is automatically invalid or illegal. Rather, it simply means hibah is not an 'untouchable' instrument immune from scrutiny. 'If something is challengeable, it doesn't mean it's inherently bad. 'Just like a 'wasiat' (will) or any other legal document, hibah offers a good solution for estate planning, but it must be executed carefully in accordance with Islamic principles. 'In fact, under Islamic law, hibah is permissible and considered a suitable practice as long as it doesn't contradict faraid and fulfils syariah requirements. 'The recent court case highlights the importance of understanding the legal processes involved in hibah, rather than rejecting its benefits outright,' he says. Dr Mahmud Abdul Jumaat Mahmud adds that it is important to realise that the court challenges usually stem from technical or procedural weaknesses, and not because the concept of hibah is invalid. Pointing to the recent court case, he says it involves specific legal provisions (takaful hibah nominations under IFSA 2013), adding that the court decision is not final yet as it is expected to be appealed. Mahmud also observes that most other forms of hibah, such as property, cash or other assets, are recognised as valid as long as they fulfil the necessary conditions. 'Therefore, the people need not panic, but should instead focus on strengthening their hibah procedures. 'Hibah continues to be an important tool for Islamic estate planning in Malaysia. 'It allows the wishes of the deceased to be honoured – for example, protecting the welfare of specific family members or chosen recipients – without breaching faraid, if handled correctly. 'What's crucial is to understand that hibah is not an absolute guarantee on paper alone. 'It requires proper understanding and correct execution to ensure the giver's intentions are fulfilled smoothly and without future disputes,' he says. Alternatives According to Mahmud, aside from hibah, there are several alternative methods to transfer wealth or assets to the loved ones that carry a lower risk of being challenged. These include direct transfers during one's lifetime through standard ownership transfers or gifts, without relying on formal hibah documents. 'For example, a husband may give cash or transfer property ownership to his wife legally while still alive. 'Once the property is registered in the wife's name, it becomes her absolute right and is no longer considered part of the husband's estate after his death. 'In other words, assets given during the giver's lifetime are not subject to faraid distribution because the ownership has already changed hands before death. 'These direct transfers – whether via a deed of gift, transfer of ownership at the land office for real estate, or bank account balance transfer – can help avoid disputes as other heirs no longer have a claim on the assets given as gifts. 'In addition, married couples may consider joint ownership arrangements – for example, registering assets like a house or bank account under both husband and wife's names. 'Depending on legal practices, this method sometimes allows the asset to automatically pass to the surviving joint owner without going through the inheritance process.' Mahmud also points out that for Muslim couples in Malaysia, a wife can also make a claim for joint matrimonial property in the Syariah Court after the husband's death, and vice versa. Through this claim, the court will determine a portion of the jointly acquired assets as the wife's rightful share. This portion is removed from the deceased's estate and cannot be disputed by other heirs as it already belongs to the wife. Another alternative is to use a trust as an asset distribution tool. The asset owner can appoint a trustee institution or trust company, such as Amanah Raya Bhd or a private trust firm, and transfer specific assets to the trustee through a formal trust agreement, with instructions that the assets be held for the benefit of a chosen recipient. 'For instance, a father might place a sum of money or property into a trust for his child under certain conditions. 'Upon his death, those assets would not be included in his estate because they were already placed in trust during his lifetime. 'The trustee would then distribute the assets to the child according to the terms of the trust, and other heirs could not challenge it because legally, the assets no longer belonged to the deceased at the time of death,' he says, adding that trusts usually involve costs and require professional management. 'Wills can be challenged' Explaining that Muslims can also consider making a will, Mahmud says this is permissible within certain limits, one of which is that only up to one-third of the estate (after deducting debts) can be given to non-heirs. Additionally, a will cannot include faraid heirs – unless with the consent of all other heirs. A will is a written or verbal declaration by someone about how their assets should be distributed after death and it only takes effect upon their passing. 'If the will exceeds the legal limit, or is made in favour of a faraid heir without the consent of others, it can be challenged. 'Any portion exceeding one-third will revert to faraid distribution, and any bequest to an heir without consent will be invalid, unless all other heirs agree to it. 'For Muslims, a will must be validated by the Syariah Court via a will confirmation order, whereas for non-Muslims, the probate process must be conducted in the Civil Court before assets can be distributed. 'Wills take time and may be contested if there are questions about their validity,' he adds. 'Documents must be complete' To ensure a hibah is strong and less likely to be challenged, Mahmud says both the giver and the recipient must make sure that its documentation is clear and complete. It should include details such as the identities of the giver and the recipient; a description of the asset to be given as gift; declarations of the offer and acceptance; signatures; and witnesses. He also says the hibah documents must be free of ambiguity and meet all requirements of Islamic law and existing regulations. 'It's always better for a hibah to be done in writing – rather than verbally – as written documents serve as strong proof of intention and mutual consent. 'Moreover, anyone planning to gift assets through hibah is encouraged to seek Syariah Court confirmation and prepare formal documentation. 'Confirmation from the Syariah Court (via a hibah confirmation order) certifies the validity of the hibah under Islamic law and makes it binding on other heirs. 'It's also advisable for the hibah giver to seek professional advice from a syariah lawyer, religious institution officer or estate planning consultant before and during the process,' he says, adding that the experts can ensure no technical aspects are overlooked, such as in the case of property, whether or not it is still under mortgage; or if there is a need to obtain bank consent; or for takaful hibah, whether or not the correct nomination procedures have been followed. Conditional hibah Al-Isra' Group associate manager Reefa Shahidah Mohd Razali, meanwhile, believes that the issue of takaful hibah being disputed in court would not arise if its implementation followed the existing legal framework under IFSA 2013. She explains that the hibah used in the current takaful industry is 'conditional hibah' – a direct gift made by the policyholder to the nominated recipient in the takaful certificate. Reefa Shahidah Mohd Razali 'There's no basis for accusing takaful agents of misleading clients because the implementation of this hibah is based on valid legal provisions under IFSA 2013, specifically Schedule 10, which outlines the hibah instrument. 'Hibah management in today's takaful differs from older plans that existed before IFSA 2013. 'Before the Act was enforced, most plans used the concept of 'wasi' (trustee), not absolute ownership-based hibah. 'That's why there was confusion in the past – it was not clearly stated whether the gift to heirs was through hibah or wasi. 'Today, it's clear. In current takaful plans, conditional hibah is valid and legally grounded,' she points out, adding that hibah nominations are valid and cannot be contested unless there is an element of fraud or breach of contract. 'Everything is based on the law. 'In fact, we encourage clients to fully understand the concept of conditional hibah before signing any policy.' — Bernama