Bank Negara Malaysia announced today that it will issue new design RM100 currency notes into circulation from Monday, 26 October 1998. The new RM100 is the fourth denomination of a completely new design Malaysian currency note series which will be replacing the existing series in stages beginning with the RM2 denomination which was issued in February 1996, the new RM10 denomination in January 1998, and the new RM50 denomination in July 1998.

The New Design RM100

The new design RM100 note, which measures 150 mm by 69 mm, retains the brown and purple predominant colours and carries a design motif representing the Manufacturing Sector. The design motif is part of the main theme, "WAWASAN 2020" for the new series which reflects Malaysia's economic development and achievement towards a fully developed country. On the front of the note, the dominant intaglio portrait of the First Seri Paduka Baginda Yang di-Pertuan Agong is retained as a dominant feature. On the back, the design motif is represented with a car production line, next to which is shown a close-up of the Proton car engine. The centre of the note depicts a gear wheel and cam-patterns from the side and above. The new design series uses RM as the currency symbol for the Malaysian Ringgit.

Security Features

New security features are incorporated in the new design RM100 in response to advances in banknote technology. These additional features are necessary to protect against threats posed by continuing improvement in colour copiers, scanners or printers. Some of the existing security features which have proven effective are also retained. The security features of the new design RM100 denomination include the following:-

• Watermark Portrait can be recognised by tints that are lighter or darker than the surrounding paper. This watermark portrait which has a three-dimensional effect appears soft and shady without sharp outlines. At the base of the watermark the numeral 100 is clearly visible.

• Security Thread is embedded in the paper and appears on the reverse side of the note as a silver coloured dotted line. When the note is held against the light, it is seen as a continuous dark coloured line and the repeated text BNM RM100 can be read. When viewed under ultra-violet light, the thread is seen in various changing colours known as the "rainbow effect".

• PEAK is a Printed and Embossed Anticopy Key security feature. When changing the angle of view by shifting the note, the numeral 100 will be revealed in the centre of the PEAK square. The whole square will glow under ultra-violet light.

• LEAD is a Longlasting Economical Anticopy Device. Its holographic design represents the same motifs as used in the purple area with which the LEAD strip is partially overprinted and bearing the words "RM100" and "BNM".

• Perfect See-Through Register is when the note is held against the light, the Hibiscus flower on the obverse will register perfectly with the same flower on the reverse of the note. This flower will also glow under ultra-violet light.

• Invisible Fluorescent Elements. Various elements of the background on the obverse and reverse will fluoresce in different colours when viewed under ultra-violet light.

• Novel Numbering is when the serial numbers increase in size to make it more difficult to counterfeit. The numbers fluoresce under ultra-violet light.

• Anti Scanner/Copier Feature is when the note features certain areas, designed such that these will change appearance when copied.

• Modulated Micro-Letterings is the tactile rectangle, the micro-letterings with the text RM100 are all legible under a magnifying glass and collectively form the word "BNM" if viewed from a distance.

• Background Micro-Letterings. The patterns of the purplish rectangles contains legible micro-letterings of "BNM" when viewed under a magnifying glass while some of the purplish rectangles will fluoresce under ultra-violet light.

The public is advised to look carefully to differentiate the genuine notes from the counterfeits based on the features as outlined above.

The existing design RM100 notes will remain as legal tender and continue to circulate alongside the new design until the existing design RM100 notes are phased out.

Click here for a graphical preview of the security features of the new RM100 banknote