Commencing 5 January 2004, Bank Negara Malaysia will be issuing RM10 banknotes with an enhanced security feature. The additional security feature is part of Bank Negara Malaysia's continuous efforts to maintain the highest level of quality in Malaysian banknotes. The upgraded RM10 banknote will incorporate an anticopy device in the form of an optical variable holographic strip on the obverse side. This is similar to the strip found in the RM50 and RM100 banknotes.

The holographic design reveals the same motifs as used in the red area on the right hand side of the First Seri Paduka Baginda Yang di-Pertuan Agong's portrait, as well as the words "RM10" and "BNM". The colours of these elements change when the view angle is shifted. On both sides of the strip, a dedicated print pattern becomes visible under ultra-violet light.

All Malaysian banknotes incorporate various security features of the highest standards that make any attempt to counterfeit them to the quality of genuine banknotes extremely difficult. Members of the public can easily distinguish a genuine banknote from the counterfeit by observing the following public recognition features:

• Feel
  • All Malaysian banknotes are made from high quality paper manufactured from cotton. They have a slightly rough touch.
• Raised printing effect
  • There is a raised printing effect on various parts of the obverse side of the banknotes, such as the portrait, denomination figure "1", "2", "5", "10", "50" and "100" respectively and the wordings "BANK NEGARA MALAYSIA" at the left hand side and "SATU RINGGIT", "DUA RINGGIT", "LIMA RINGGIT', "SEPULUH RINGGIT", "LIMA PULUH RINGGIT" and "SERATUS RINGGIT" respectively at the right hand side of the banknote.
• Watermark
  • A shaded watermark portrait of the First Yang di-Pertuan Agong, located in the clear panel on the left hand side, can be seen when the banknote is held up against the light. The watermark has a 3-dimensional look with different dark and light tones appearing soft and shady without sharp outlines. At the base of the watermark, the numeral "1", "2", "5", "10", "50" and "100" for the RM1, RM2, RM5, RM10, RM50 and RM100 denomination respectively is clearly visible.
• Security thread
  • A windowed security thread is interwoven into the paper. On the obverse side of the banknote the thread is not visible while on the reverse side, the thread appears as a series of silver coloured dotted line. When the banknote is held against the light, the thread appears as a continuous dark line with repeated text "BNM RM1", "BNM RM2", "BNM RM5", "BNM RM10", "BNM RM50" and "BNM RM100" respectively printed on it.
• Micro-lettering
  • On the obverse side, in the rectangle box next to the wordings "WANG KERTAS INI SAH DIPERLAKUKAN DENGAN NILAI" on the top of the banknote, the micro-letterings with the text "RM1", "RM2", "RM5", "RM10", "RM50" and "RM100" respectively are all legible under a magnifying glass and they collectively form the word "BNM" if viewed from a distant.

The existing RM10 banknotes will co-circulate with the upgraded RM10 banknotes and will continue to be honoured at full value. For more information on the upgraded RM10 banknote, please visit Bank Negara Malaysia's website at http://www.bnm.gov.my or contact the Currency Management and Operation Department (Tel. 03-26907309).

See also : General Information on RM10 with LEAD