Maybank

Maybank and Xinhua News Agency today officially launched the Xinhua08 Malaysia webpage at Invest Malaysia 2011. The webpage, currently available in Mandarin at http://maybank.xinhua08.com will provide Chinese readers the opportunity to follow up-to-date business and financial news covering Malaysia and the ASEAN region.

Maybank was represented at the launch by its President and CEO, Dato’ Sri Abdul Wahid Omar and the Chief Executive Officer of Maybank Investment Bank, Tengku Dato’ Zafrul Aziz while Xinhua News Agency was represented by Mr. Ju Mengjun, President cum Editor in Chief for Asia Pacific region and its Malaysian Bureau Chief, Mr. Yan Liang.

The launch of the website follows the signing of a strategic partnership agreement, inked by both parties in Beijing in February this year.  At the press conference, Dato’ Sri Wahid said that the Xinhua08 Malaysia webpage was one of the initiatives of the tie up between the two parties. “Apart from featuring business and financial news, the webpage also provides information and news updates from Maybank, Bursa Malaysia, Securities Commission, Bank Negara Malaysia and MIDA, which will be of particular interest to investors,” he said.

Wahid added that he is optimistic the joint venture between Malaysia’s largest banking group and the premier news agency from the People’s Republic of China will open up more businesses and investment opportunities in Malaysia and ASEAN for investors from China.

“We will continue to explore new opportunities, bringing to the market hard to access, strategic, news and people for business and investment discussions which can lead to stronger business ties between China and ASEAN as well as increase capital flows between the two regions,” said Wahid.  “In today’s globalised world, Maybank as a leading regional financial services group, is able to offer our expertise and leverage on our in-depth knowledge of Malaysia and ASEAN to support investors from China into this region.” 

Meanwhile, Tengku Dato’ Zafrul Aziz added that the Maybank Xinhua partnership coupled with the banking group’s recent acquisition of Kim Eng would not only bring an added dimension to the service that Maybank Group is able to offer customers in both regions but also open up new stock broking opportunities in the China-ASEAN space.

The launch of the website is deemed timely especially after Malaysia won the Qualified Domestic Institutional Investor (QDII) status in June last year. Malaysia is one of only 11 jurisdictions approved under China’s QDII scheme which allows Chinese nationals to invest abroad through approved institutions like fund management firms.