Affin Bank Bhd has reaffirmed its commitment towards banking excellence rooted in three strategic pillars including responsible business practices with social impact, unrivalled customer service and digital leadership, said Datuk Wan Razly Abdullah, President & Group Chief Executive Officer of Affin Bank Bhd when addressing the 2024 Propelling Malaysia Forward Conference held on Monday in Penang.

According to Wan Razly, Affin bank is the first financial institution to partner with the waterway cleanup initiative1, using the bank's interceptor to clean the Klang River and improve its water quality. The quality of the water has improved from Class 5 (Highly Contaminated) to Class 3 (Clean) as wildlife returns to the clean river. In the past 5 years, Affin Bank's interceptors in the Klang River have removed two million tonnes of waste.

Furthermore, the bank's sustainable financing now accounts for 10% of its total loan portfolio as of the first half of 2024, with a target of 25% by 2028.

In terms of customer service, Affin Bank's commitment to accessibility and a stronger financial ecosystem is evident in the bank's initiatives such as the Mobile Financial Centre (MFC)2 and 146 branches nationwide by the first half of 2025, said the President.

In addition, to better service high net worth individuals and businesses, Affin Bank launched Affin Diventium on Sept 3, 2024, the bank's exclusive private banking segment which offers personalised wealth management and specially-tailored financial advisory services.
In its digital drive, the bank is poised to revolutionise the industry with the introduction of Affin Bank's new Digital Core, which is the first of its kind for conventional banks in Malaysia scheduled to go live by the end of this year. This digital breakthrough will drastically reduce turnaround times for customers and introduce state-of-the-art financial products.

The conference held in Penang brought together over 300 industry leaders and business executives and highlighted strategic growth opportunities in domestic direct investment, foreign investment, and new economic ecosystem.

The President emphasised Affin Bank's commitment in fostering innovation and collaboration within the Malaysian business landscape, adding that "Affin Bank is dedicated to facilitating dialogue and action that will propel Malaysia's economic growth. We believe this event will stimulate investment and development, aligning with the group's vision to be the Most Creative and Innovative Financial Company in Malaysia."

The economic conference was graced by Senator Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah Azizan, Minister of Finance II, Malaysia, while local business and public policy dignitaries were among the panelists steering forum discussion on Malaysia's Madani Economy Framework and the role of government-linked companies in driving the growth of the new economic ecosystem via domestic direct investment (DDI). Other forum sessions focused on key topics such as Malaysia's market outlook, industry strategy and economic growth through foreign investment

In his address, Wan Razly noted that despite global uncertainties and volatility in energy and commodity prices, Malaysia's economy remains resilient, fueled by strong fundamentals and robust domestic demand, registering 5.3% Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth year-on-year in the third quarter of 2024. Looking ahead, Malaysia's GDP is expected to grow by 5.2% in 2025, following a projected 5% growth in 2024, he added.

The conference also marked the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Affin Hwang Investment Bank Bhd and Penang Institute, a collaboration aimed at promoting research and knowledge sharing on key economic issues. The MoU was signed by Encik Nurjesmi Mohd Nashir, Chief Executive Officer of Affin Hwang Investment Bank Bhd, and Datuk Dr Ooi Kee Beng, Executive Director of Penang Institute.

1. The Ocean Cleanup ︎
2. AffinAlways mobile banking app ︎