Tag: Bank Islam

Dalam menzahirkan dedikasi dan  keprihatinan terhadap pelanggan, Pengurus Bank Islam Cawangan Seremban, Azizah Ahmad dan Duta Perkhidmatan Bank Islam Cawangan Wangsa Maju, Nurul  Syafiqah Nasarudin, berjaya menggagalkan cubaan penipuan, sekali gus  menyelamatkan pelanggan daripada mengalami kerugian kewangan yang  signifikan.

Sebagaimana rutin harian di Bank Islam Cawangan Seremban, Pengurusnya, Azizah  Ahmad, telah mengambil langkah proaktif melindungi salah seorang pelanggan  tetapnya. Azizah telah memintas transaksi untuk menyelamatkan kerugian berjumlah  RM272,000 daripada jatuh ke tangan penipu yang menyasarkan seorang pelanggan  yang tidak sedar akan tindakannya itu.

Menceritakan semula insiden tersebut, Azizah berkata,“Kejadian berlaku ketika  pelanggan tersebut hadir ke cawangan pada hari Jumaat untuk menandatangani  surat kelulusan permohonan tawaran pembiayaan peribadi. Segala nampak normal memandangkan pelanggan tersebut mempunyai rekod yang baik dengan Bank  Islam. “Namun, beberapa jam kemudian, pelanggan tersebut menghubungi  cawangan untuk melaporkan satu transaksi asing dalam akaunnya yang  meninggalkan baki hanya RM19. Tanpa berlengah, saya terus mengambil langkah  pantas untuk menangani situasi.”

Siasatan lanjut menunjukkan situasi yang membimbangkan: Pelanggan terbabit  sering diganggu penipu yang menyamar sebagai pihak berkuasa yang memaksa  beliau mengeluarkan wang simpanannya dengan alasan untuk membersihkan rekod  buruk beliau. Tindakan segera yang diambil Azizah telah menghalang kerugian  kewangan yang lebih besar dan menasihatkan pelanggan agar menghentikan  sementara transaksi pembiayaan peribadinya.

Sementara itu, Duta Perkhidmatan Bank Islam Cawangan Wangsa Maju, Nurul  Syafiqah Nasarudin turut berjaya membanteras cubaan menipu. Nurul Syafiqah  menyedari kelakuan mencurigakan seorang pelanggan yang cuba melakukan

pindahan Dana ASNB berjumlah RM100,000 daripada akaunnya. Naluri serta  pengalaman dan latihan yang diterima untuk mengenal pasti situasi sebegitu terbukti  betul apabila pelanggan tersebut berasa takut dan mengelak apabila disoal.

Ketika disoal, pelanggan mengakui menerima beberapa panggilan mencurigakan  yang mengarah beliau membuka akaun baharu dan memindahkan dana. Nurul  Syafiqah bersama Penolong Pengurus Cawangan, A Hakim A Rahman mengambil  tindakan pantas membongkar penipuan melalui panggilan telefon.

Ketua Pegawai Operasi Kumpulan Bank Islam, Mohamed Iran Moriff Mohd Shariff  memuji tindakan pantas Azizah dan Nurul Syafiqah, menekankan komitmen Bank  dalam melindungi pelanggan. “Bank Islam komited melindungi pelanggan daripada  penipuan. Sistem dalaman dan kakitangan terlatih kami sentiasa peka dan berusaha  membanteras penipuan, sama ada secara dalam talian mahupun di cawangan,”  ujar Mohamed Iran.

Pada tahun 2023 sahaja, Bank Islam telah berjaya menangani cubaan penipuan  bernilai lebih RM11 juta, selaras dengan langkah keselamatan yang diperkenalkan Bank Negara Malaysia. Langkah-langkah ini termasuk:

• Mengukuhkan peraturan pengesanan penipuan
• Peralihan daripada kaedah penghantaran SMS Kata Laluan Sekali Sahaja  (OTP) kepada kaedah pengesahan yang lebih selamat
• Pelaksanaan pengesahan dan tempoh bertenang (cooling-off) untuk  perkhidmatan perbankan elektronik
• Membenarkan pendaftaran untuk satu peranti mudah alih atau peranti yang  selamat
• Menyediakan saluran aduan khusus yang beroperasi sepanjang masa (24/7)  demi kemudahan pelanggan.

Mohamed Iran turut menekankan kepentingan mendidik dalam membanteras  penipuan: “Penipu sangat licik dalam memanipulasi dan sentiasa menukar taktik  penipuan mereka. Adalah penting untuk kita memahami kesannya terhadap mangsa serta psikologi penipu.” Matlamat Bank Islam untuk melindungi dan mendidik  pelanggan agar peka dengan taktik penipuan yang berubah-ubah dan sentiasa  berwaspada.

Komitmen teguh Bank Islam adalah keselamatan pelanggan, memanfaatkan  teknologi terkini dan mempunyai pasukan yang proaktif melindungi pelanggan  daripada aktiviti penipuan. Sebagai sebuah institusi kewangan Islam yang dipercayai, Bank Islam kekal berdedikasi memastikan ketenangan minda pelanggan  terpelihara.

Bank Islam Malaysia Berhad (Bank  Islam or the Group) registered a net profit of RM553.1 million for the financial year  ended 31 December 2023 (FY2023), an improvement of 12.5% over the previous year.  Accordingly, EPS and net ROE for the Group have improved to 24.57 sen and 7.8%,  respectively, for FY2023.

The Group’s net income rose 7.2% to RM2.48 billion (RM2,477.2 million) compared to  RM2.31 billion (RM2,309.9 million) last year. Higher non-fund-based income, which  surged by RM175.5 million or 75.9%, resulting from higher net gain from foreign  exchange transactions and higher investment income, is attributed to the growth  recorded.

Nevertheless, the increase was offset by a marginally decreased net fund-based  income of 0.4% or RM8.3 million as the net income margin was lower by 16 bps to  2.12% for FY2023 (FY2022: 2.28%) due to higher cost of funds despite the growth in  financing. Higher overheads and expansion of net allowance for impairment on  financing and advances offset the Group’s net income increase.

The Board of Directors is pleased to declare an all-cash second interim single-tier  dividend of 4.22 sen per share, bringing the total annual dividend to 16.81 sen per  share.

The Group’s total assets grew by 1.2% year-on-year (y-o-y) to stand at RM91.0 billion  at the end of December 2023, spurred by financing and investment securities growth  and was offset by lower cash and short-term funds.

 

Financing grew 3.0% y-o-y to RM66.8 billion, while customer deposits and investment  accounts stood at RM76.1 billion, with a y-o-y increase of RM0.9 billion or 1.2%. The  growth was mainly attributable to the robust y-o-y growth of 9.8% or RM2.7 billion in  total CASATIA, which stands at RM30.4 billion. This composition made a healthy level  of 39.9% of total customer deposits and investment accounts. The Group’s Total  Capital Ratio remained strong at 19.9%.

Bank Islam maintains robust capital and liquidity positions, underscoring the continued  strength of the Group’s growth momentum and fundamentals.

As of 31 December 2023, the gross impaired financing ratio improved to 0.92%  compared to 1.27% at the end of December 2022, which is better than the industry  average of 1.65%.

Bank Islam Group Chief Executive Officer, Dato’ Mohd Muazzam Mohamed, explains  that in 2023, Bank Islam prioritised strengthening its fundamentals amid economic  uncertainties, focusing on balance sheet discipline.

Furthermore, the Group has identified pockets of opportunities in its growth areas while  ensuring infrastructure readiness in order to serve the customer better.

“We have improved Bank Islam’s funding profile by focusing on expanding our deposit  base among the retail and small and medium enterprises (SME) segments, enhancing  transaction banking and payments capabilities. We launched the Ihsan Sustainability  Investment Account Fund (ISIA) and provided investors access to primarily debt

based ESG assets,” said Dato’ Mohd Muazzam.

ISIA is the first of its kind to showcase the ability of Islamic Finance to make available  products that will foster a Nature Positive Economy and ensure inclusive growth across  society.

He explains that Bank Islam’s commitment to responsible asset growth has led to  increased client acquisition, particularly in the ESG sector, yielding positive returns  despite a lower asset growth last year.

Outlook  

Bank Islam reinforces its core strengths while promoting community empowerment  and sustainability. Strategic partnerships, advisory products, and innovative solutions  through Group Retail Banking and Group Institutional Banking are vital focuses. Dato’ Mohd Muazzam outlines the strategic objectives for 2024, emphasising growth, asset  quality, liquidity and funding management, and profitability to lead Malaysia’s Islamic  banking sector.

“The attention is on customer-centricity and sustainable financing through green  initiatives with goals including increasing non-fund-based income, targeting optimum financing growth above the industry, and maintaining robust asset quality. The Bank  will harness its capabilities further in wealth management while maintaining its  competitiveness within the retail space. Emphasis on CASATIA growth through

partnerships and promoting cashless communities with a continued focus on the retail  and small and medium enterprises (SME),” he said.

“In 2024, Bank Islam’s client solutions will evolve beyond traditional financing to assist  in boosting client’s financial standing and value creation with options including listing  and private equity fundraising,” he said.

Bank Islam recently participated in the UN Global Compact Malaysia and Brunei  (UNGCMYB) as part of its pledge towards sustainability.

“It is a significant milestone towards promoting sustainable business practices and  aligning our strategies and operations with the Ten Principles of human rights, labour,  environment, and anti-corruption.

“By our participation, Bank Islam aims to raise our UNSDG ambition and engage with  other members of UNGCMYB to foster collaboration and innovation, thus enabling us  to share best practices and learn from others, as well as attracting environmentally  conscious customers and partners to drive the business further,” Dato’ Mohd Muazzam  explains.

In advancing its sustainability commitments, the Group has surpassed its target for  Shariah-ESG assets, achieving RM4 billion in 2023 – two years ahead of its original goal  of 2025. As of the end of 2023, its Shariah-ESG assets stand at RM4.5 billion.

On the digital channel front, the growth of Bank Islam Internet Banking (IB) and GO by  Bank Islam mobile banking app users is expected to rise in 2024. With registered users  exceeding two million, Bank Islam is bolstering system reliability and crafting a better  customer experience by unveiling more innovative offerings and features to provide  its customers with a seamless and safe banking experience.

Social finance is positioned as an enabler of social development in Malaysia,  complementing public sector finance and commercially driven financial solutions to  fortify social resilience and foster inclusive development.

As a leading Islamic financial institution advocating social finance, Dato’ Mohd  Muazzam adds that Bank Islam will continue to provide opportunities and increase  the upward mobility of the unserved and underserved segment, particularly the asnaf  and B40-owned micro-enterprises through the offering of iTEKAD microfinance  programmes (iTEKAD).

“Since its launch in 2020, a total of RM20 million in financing has helped almost 1,200 beneficiaries, including more than 200 individuals, under our iTEKAD and funding  escalator programme. In 2024, the Bank will continue its effort and expand its focus  on developing social enterprises in Malaysia. The initiative will provide opportunities  for social entrepreneurs to enhance their skills and capabilities through our  comprehensive iTEKAD programme,” he said.

About Bank Islam Malaysia Berhad (Registration No [198301002944(98127-X)])

Bank Islam is the first Islamic bank publicly listed on the Main Market of Bursa Malaysia. Established in July  1983, the bank has 135 branches and over 900 self-service terminals across Malaysia. As a pure-play  Islamic bank, Bank Islam provides retail banking and corporate financial solutions that strictly adhere to  Shariah rules and principles. The bank is committed to sustainable prosperity and ESG values and is an  official UN Global Compact Malaysia and Brunei participant. Bank Islam’s core subsidiaries, BIMB Investment and BIMB Securities offer Islamic financial services, including investment and stockbroking. For  more information on the Group’s products and services, please visit www.bankislam.com.

For further information, please email Bank Islam Group’s Media Relations team at  media@bankislam.com.my.