BUILDER OF NATIONS

• More than just a financial institution, we served as Malaysia’s financial enabler – partnering with a newly formed nation to facilitate her economic development and grow local industries.
• Rural Credit Schemes and mobile banking (banking through buses for rural areas) were introduced to address economic imbalance and eliminate poverty. Home ownership was now open to everyone. We provided housing and small business loans across 126 branches by 1975, helping families own their first home. We also pioneered agriculture and small industries loans, fueling the growth of local economies.
• Scholarship and study assistance schemes were offered to deserving students, from as early as 1972. As a nation-building partner, we invested in budding talents and bright young minds to nurture the next generation of skilled workers.

We Continue To Be There By Your Side in 1970s

Have you wondered what Malaysia was like in the 1970s? During that time, our economy was still growing and Malaysians from all walks of life, including us, came together to lend a hand in support. From agriculture, to small businesses, to providing education opportunities; we were there to help. Humanising banking is what we do, and we will continue doing that for you, come what may. ❤

Mobile Then, Mobile Now

Mobile Then & Mobile Now. Going mobile for us isn’t new, in fact we were one of the first to do it. No, we aren’t talking about our digital banking services, but instead our mobile on wheels! Back then, not everyone could make the trip to the branches. So we brought banking to you! We introduced the first mobile banking bus in the 1970s to bring banking facilities to the heart of rural communities we serve. We went the extra mile for you then, and we will go the extra mile for you now.

Building Homes Together With You in 1970s

In the 1970s, with the introduction of the New Economic Policy, people wanted to start owning homes. We were excited to be part of that milestone as a home is a place where you feel loved, safe and sense of belonging. We started providing home loans to people to help achieve this dream, and they started building homes for their loved ones. 🏡

Banking Technology in 1970s

From manual bookkeeping to typewriters, the way we did business soon changed and evolved along with technology. That led to computerisation and the first online retail system across countries. 💻 Back in the 1970s, computers were nothing like the computers we have now. They were bulky, heavy, not portable and cost a lot.

We brought in new technology because we wanted to make things easier and simpler for you, and we did it gradually so nobody got left behind.

Supporting the Country’s Agriculture Industry in 1970s

Did you know your rubber (eraser), the ayam panggang you buy during Ramadhan (the ayam) and more, are all major contributors to our country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP)? Agriculture has always been a key industry for Malaysia and in 1970, it accounted for nearly 30 percent of Malaysia’s GDP!

Back in the 1970s, one of our missions was to help rural farmers grow and expand their businesses. So we introduced a Rural Credit Scheme and our project field officers went to the grassroots! They cared, listened, and provided assistance to our fellow farmers in the form of loans and other Maybank services. 🌱🌾

Nurturing Our Budding Talents in 1970s

We all know the importance of an all-rounded education. As a country develops, you need budding talents and bright young minds for the betterment of the country. So in 1972, we started offering scholarships to the future of Malaysia for the opportunity to learn and grow. We invested in the next generation of Malaysians and by doing so, we stayed true to our mission of always putting the people first. 👨🏻🍳👨🏻🔧

Modernisation in 1980s

1980s Malaysia. There weren’t as many cars on the street if you were outside of KL, even less if you were in the kampung. Payphones were popular, but most met up for conversations. TVs were box-like and TV programmes were an occasion for people to get together.

Beneath all this, Malaysia was going through modernisation. Using computers in day-to-day business started becoming the norm. We embraced technology’s role in the industry, to make it easier for our customers to conduct their daily transactions and for us to extend our services to an even greater number of people.

18 Maybank branches went online during this decade. Through it all, we acknowledged that our strength was in our people and developed multiple initiatives to promote better working environments.

Introducing Maybank Kawanku in 1980s

Did you know? Withdrawing money in the 1980s used to be quite the affair! You would be hopping on a bus or driving to our branches in your boxy car. The smell of food from the next-door coffee shops would draw you in for a RM1.20 meal, before entering the branch and speaking to a teller to get your cash.

But soon, this all changed. We were the first to introduce what you now know as the ATM (Automated Teller Machine) in Malaysia! Maybank Kawanku was first set up in 1981 at the Maybank Ampang branch in Kuala Lumpur.

The network of Maybank Kawankus grew very quickly. By the end of the decade, there were 356 ATMs throughout the country. People finally got their money a lot faster and easier, and were delighted with this new found ‘Kawanku’. 🏧

Paying with Style in 1980s

Big hair, ripped jeans, neon colours, mullets and having a chequebook were in vogue at the turn of the decade in the 1980s, but the next big trend was just about to hit!

In 1980, Maybank launched the first credit card in Malaysia! The Maybank Visa Classic Card and the Visa Premier Card. Swiping your card quickly became popular as it meant not having to carry around a bulky book anymore. Chequebooks then mainly lived within hallways of companies as a means to pay employees, and the era of cashless transactions began. 💳

Creating Healthy Work Environments in 1980s

The expansion of the economy during the 1980s opened up more employment opportunities than ever before. More and more people started holding jobs in non-traditional industries such as the service and manufacturing sectors, working in offices and factories. Your daily 9-to-5 was unheard of until then – work culture slowly became a thing.

Since our beginning, people have always been at the heart of our business, and this included our Maybankers.

So in 1982, we established a Productivity Committee to promote healthy working environments. We provided training, recognised good ideas and created conventions for sharing knowledge and building relationships.

We believe that by looking after our employees, they are able to better engage, be more productive and thrive – on and off the job.

Computerisation in Banking in 1980s

The excitement of the 80s was partly because of computers popping up everywhere – at homes and in offices! They were big, bulky and heavy and felt like they came straight out of films such as “Superman III” or “Back To The Future”. However, coupled with the excitement was unease, several people were intimidated by this ‘canggih’ new machine.

Embracing modernisation and pioneering innovations have always been our priority. We understood that an integral part of this was developing and upskilling our people. So, we invested in and provided training to ready our Maybankers for computerisation in banking. Our mission to upskill our employees and Malaysia’s workforce was, and still continues to be, important to us.

Supporting Future Leaders in 1980s

Back in the 1980s, many people had to leave school early to support their families at a young age, but those that did graduate were among the first in their families to do so.

We wanted to give deserving students the opportunity to continue their studies at a tertiary level, locally or overseas, because we recognised how difficult it was to achieve that.

So we continued giving out scholarships. Our scholars are also given opportunities to do their internship with us and are provided job placements with the bank after graduation.

Since we started, over 2,000 students today had the opportunity to pursue their dreams and ambitions. Many have gone on to roles in economics, psychology, marketing, law, creative design, data science, (and more!) and are now building their names in their respective fields. 🌟

PARTNERING WITH ASEAN FOR INCLUSIVE GROWTH

• A truly homegrown ASEAN bank, we set up institutions across key Southeast Asian markets, pulling in local leaders to take the helm.
• The expansion echoed the regional development that took place concurrently. Emerging countries like Cambodia and developing partners like Indonesia came onboard to create a connected ASEAN entity.
• During the 1990s financial crisis, the steadfast presence of the bank cushioned the shocks that affected homes and businesses, bringing stability to the region and anchored it through difficult times.

The New Media Age in 1990s

The 90s saw the introduction of new media, the world wide web, the consoles (remember the first PlayStation?), boy bands and girl groups (think N’Sync & The Spice Girls) –the list goes on. More people were able to afford flights overseas and cultural exchange was happening more frequently. The region was starting to become more interconnected and ASEAN was going through an expansion during this decade, with the addition of 4 countries: Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar and Cambodia.

Besides the fun and good stuff, it was also one of the toughest decades. East Asia & Southeast Asia were hit by the Asian Financial Crisis and as countries scrambled to get on their feet, we knew that we needed to play our part or be lost forever. Hence the 1990s was when we really grew to become a truly home-grown ASEAN bank as we persevered through with the people of ASEAN to become a symbol of shared growth for the region.

We strengthened our regional footprint to serve the diverse needs of our ASEAN neighbours and today, this expansion has led to us having over 2,200 branches in 20 countries globally. What a rollercoaster ride it has been, but we wouldn’t be here today without you and the experiences that made us tougher.

Collaborating with People & Communities for Shared Growth and Prosperity

The turn of a new decade saw countries slowly achieving greater economic prosperity. As new policies were introduced, people started relocating to urban areas in search of new job opportunities. This led to increased ownership of houses and cars. While some were blessed with these, there were also a lot of people who were still struggling, especially the underserved communities.

We wanted to contribute where we could, so we set up Tabung Kebajikan Kumpulan Maybank (TKKM) as a trust fund for us to bring positive impact to the communities we operate in. The mission was simple and clear, to play a more active role in the economic welfare and social development.

Over the years, TKKM has contributed to positive change by nurturing economic and community development, as well as heritage and environmental conservation. TKKM eventually grew to become what is known today as Maybank Foundation, continuing our mission to help those who are disadvantaged and to preserve our heritage and environment through sustainable initiatives, by collaborating with people and communities for shared growth and prosperity across ASEAN.

Introducing Maybank Autophone Services

It’s hard to believe that not long ago, we were all using cheques to pay for things before the advent of telephone payments. Who knew that eventually, this technology that was initially invented for people to communicate over long distances could be used for a range of other things, starting with making your bill payments over the phone!

And that’s what we did, to make banking easier for you we launched Maybank Autophone in 1992, the first phone banking service by a local bank in Malaysia that offered customers the convenience of conducting their banking transactions through a computerised telephone service. Imagine hearing an automated robotic voice booming over the phone back in the 1990s as you were trying to pay your bills… it was quite the technology! Press one for English, two for your desired service… People didn’t have to queue up at post offices or bank counters anymore just to pay bills.

Our Aspiration to Serve The Growing Needs of ASEAN

Much of ASEAN was going through rapid development in the 1990s. The region slowly proved itself to be a juggernaut in trade with its rich natural resources such as wood, oil and rubber. We were also strategically at the juncture of international shipping routes between the East and the West. You could see the signs of a growing city as you walked through the hustle and bustle of Singapore’s central business district to Clarke Quay, or the hallways of newly opened malls such as Mal Kelapa Gading in Jakarta where vendors galore opened shop and started trading.

Our aspiration to serve the growing needs of ASEAN started with us expanding in the 1960s to our immediate neighbour Singapore followed by our not-so-far-away cousin Indonesia, before further growing our presence across the region in the 90s.

Connecting with more people than ever before, we grew to now having 21 branches in Singapore and 386 branches across Indonesia.

Our Commitment to Expand Our Reach Across ASEAN Continues

The wafting aroma of Chicken Adobo through the streets of Manila, the breath-taking views you get on a ferry along the Mekong River, or the cool wet air coming in from the mountains around Hanoi and Ha Long Bay - we wanted to get to know more people and cultures in the region and serve their diverse needs. So, we began expanding further to more ASEAN countries in the 1990s.

Since we began expanding into the ASEAN region, we have affirmed our commitment to take part in the development of each of the countries’ economy. By pursuing challenging tasks of computerising our banking operations regionally, refurbishing our branches, improving processes, and providing training to our people, we established ourselves at the heart of each community that we operate in and serve.

Our efforts and mission to serve the needs of the region has shaped us into the leading financial services provider that we have become today within ASEAN and this is made possible by your continuous support. Thank you!

The Tiger Beside You Through Thick & Thin

Throughout the 1990s, the ASEAN region made a lot of progress in development. The completion of major landmarks are a testament to the growing wealth the region is experiencing. Who would’ve thought we would then go through a period that sent shockwaves throughout the world?

In 1997, we were hit by the Asian Financial Crisis. This led to slumping currencies along with the value of stock markets and other asset prices falling across the region.

Through the financial crisis, we stood strong by taking the necessary measures to protect you, our customers. We worked together during this period to overcome this. Eventually, through collective international and regional efforts, the regional economies slowly started to recover.

Our commitment and support to the communities we serve were evident even through the economic crisis and remain until today. We were the tiger beside you then, and now, as we walk together into the future.

INNOVATING FORWARD

• To become a truly competitive bank within the region, Maybank aimed to bridge the gap in the Islamic banking sector, becoming the first bank in ASEAN to offer an Islamic window through our subsidiary, Maybank Islamic Berhad. Today, Maybank is the largest Islamic bank by assets in ASEAN.
• As we progressed, we knew we wanted to introduce sustainable programmes that would bring change to communities over time. We are proud to say that we now have programmes across the education sector, community empowerment, arts and culture, environmental diversity, healthy living and disaster relief across the different Southeast Asian countries.
• As the online retail landscape became more developed, we wanted to ensure that consumers have a convenient and reliable platform for participation. Hence, we launched Maybank2u Pay - a payment gateway that aims to make online shopping easy through seamless transactions.
• With our underserved communities at the heart of our mission, the MaybankHeart platform was born, the first-of-its-kind digital social fundraising platform connecting NGOs to a wider audience to support their causes. As of today, over 28 different organisations that support various causes in Malaysia are benefitting from this platform and we strive to reach out to more.
• We also launched a cashless mobile payment option using QR codes via Maybank QRPay for a seamless transaction experience. Then, in 2019, we launched MAE, Maybank Anytime Everyone, an intuitive e-wallet integrated into the Maybank2u mobile banking app to bring even greater convenience to our consumers.

2000s, The Dawn of Digital

2000s… The Dawn of Digital. We were led into the new millennium with a mixture of fear and excitement! The digital Armageddon was not to be - but our lives would never be the same. From social networking to digital magic on our screens through the magical worlds of Harry Potter and Avatar - we truly were living in the age of wonder!

As a decade that saw rapid development, alongside rebuilding of the economy - innovation in banking and our services became a reflection of the role we played in ensuring those from all walks of life did not get left behind.

From online banking platforms, debit cards to mobile payments – our driving force was to ensure we kept pace with the needs of the communities we serve, seamlessly. As the saying goes - hassle-free banking, care-free living!

2000s, Bringing Ease to Financing Across Borders

Wanderlust satisfied! Cheaper air travel during this decade meant so many more could now explore the other cultures of this beautiful region we call ASEAN.

Being a bunch of adventure seekers ourselves, we knew it was a matter of time before services such as borderless cash withdrawals, and ease of debit-card usage overseas became a necessity, and with our Maybank Cherry Visa Debit Card, and RegionLink services at hand, we were well equipped. As the song goes – all our bags were packed, and we were ready to go!

The sky truly wasn’t the limit anymore!

Introducing Maybank2e.net for Business Owners in the 2000s

As a financial institution that grew with the nation, we never forgot that Small and Medium business operations are the backbone of any nation’s economic prosperity. From cash management to payroll management – simplification was the key. By collaborating, and speaking to small and medium business owners, Maybank2e.net made its debut in 2005 – a portal made for business owners, helping those that powered the nation’s growth perform commercial transactions online. It all came down to serving the needs of our customers, so they could serve the needs of theirs.

2000s, Continuing To be Mobile Then & Mobile Now

Once upon a time… There was a dream.

A vision of partnerships between industries to bring Malaysia into a future that was as cashless, as it was seamless. The 2000s witnessed our partnership with telco players to launch the World’s first multi-payment Near Field Communication (NFC) services on mobile phones and more, realising the potential that was predicted.

Oh, how far we’ve all come! From NFC to MAE – the acronyms might need to stop, but the future will wait for no man or woman.

We are better together, and we will strive to continue forging partnerships that break new ground, to ensure together, we step into the future of transactions.

2000s, Bringing Marketplaces into e-Commerce Cybermalls

Shoulder to shoulder - we are nothing without our community.

From the moment our doors opened, our driving force has and will always be the communities we serve.

And if the convenience of our services manage to bring communities together – we can humbly say, we’re on the way to achieve what we set out for – purpose driven services for all that we serve. #KitaJagaKita has always been part of the Malaysian fabric – since the launch of the country’s first e-commerce Cybermall hosted by a financial institution, to the Sama-Sama Lokal marketplace, it has truly been inspirational to see how people never turn down a chance to support individuals and businesses around them.

This drives us to ensure we constantly innovate to provide platforms that enable our communities to thrive, together.

Mobile, Reimagined in 2000s

Remember a time when having 20 friends was considered a big circle?!

The opening of the decade saw the term social network introduced to our everyday vocabulary, and the social butterflies in us flourished 

With that, being mobile was now reimagined. Customers needed to be a click away from us and, powered by the internet, they were able to do exactly that – via the newly launched Maybank2u.com, the nation’s first internet banking platform.

From the desk to your palm, we will not rest in our promise to bring convenience to not only your financial transactions, but your everyday life.

Innovation and connectivity will continue to drive how we bring convenience to YOU.

2010s, The Dawn of Digital

Blink and it’s 2010!

The borderless future was now a present reality. Like minded people from around the globe used this connectivity for good – coming together for causes that spoke to their own values. From climate change discourse, to galvanising campaigns like the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge, spreading awareness for Lou Gehrig’s Disease – inspiration was not scarce.

Closer to home, the mission of humanising financial services continued to ensure that nothing, or no one, was left behind – and the advancement of technology allowed for innovations that provide financial accessibility and inclusion for underserved communities around us, to progress together.

2010s, Mobile Then Even More Mobile Now

Future ready, future steady.

As the tech we used improved at warp speed, so did its users. Expectations for technology integration, and security sat at an all-time high.

Those handheld communications devices had now transformed into mini-computers with the ability to manage and sync our everyday needs. True to fashion tech-wizards were hard at work, and from their labs came a list of advancements, including face, voice and fingerprint recognition – in fact the first to offer all three biometric functionalities on a banking app!

“We want more!” – we heard you say, and we did not stop trying! Later in 2019, our smartphones were turned into wallets, providing cashless mobile payments with Maybank QRPay.

Taking the journey with you a step further – MAE was launched with features such as split bills, movie & train tickets purchases, and many more.

Let us assure you – despite it all, this is just the beginning. We’re entering an era of technological advancement of a scale not been experienced, we’re as excited as we were 60 years ago, and we can’t wait to take this voyage into the future with you, to innovate, for you.

2010s, Leaving No one Behind

Inclusive growth goes beyond guaranteeing financial success. For ASEAN to prosper, it was imperative that financial inclusion, and independence was championed across the communities we serve. The spark ignited, as disadvantaged communities empowered themselves to be entrepreneurs inspired us all.

From our humble beginnings of Tabung Kebajikan Kumpulan Maybank (TKKM) back in the 90s, we soon established Maybank Foundation as an extension to our DNA to focus on corporate responsibility initiatives in the region.

From promoting financial literacy to children in schools, working with weavers from rural communities in ASEAN, to expanding local scholarship programmes to include, for the first time, scholarships from pre-university level, the grit and perseverance we have witnessed across the region pushed us to do even more in service of these communities.

2010s, Harnessing the Power of the People with MaybankHeart

We are only as strong as our weakest link. Take care of your neighbour, and they will take care of you – it’s the same spirit that inspires community togetherness, the ‘sama-sama kita berjaya’ mentality that marks our collective identity.

As the nation’s partner, we envisioned a society that was not only wealthy financially, but rich in compassion. Thus, the idea of MaybankHeart, a social crowd-funding platform, came to be. Harnessing the power the Internet, the platform has enabled NGOs to reach a much wider audience to support their causes.

Every year, donations collected through the MaybankHeart platform continue to demonstrate the nation’s power to rally forces for those who need it most. At Maybank, we believe that one person – a single drop in the sea – can change the world. For what is the ocean but a multitude of drops?

2010s, Introducing Maybank@Campus and MSpace!

Too cool for school?

We all remember those college days - late nights, early mornings, 11th hour cramming, bright minds all around, and a nervous (but exciting!) energy you just couldn’t explain!

We figured the college kids would be busy – but, having been there, done that – we also knew they’d probably need to know a thing or two about financial management.

Enter Maybank@Campus – our first campus lounge at Monash University Malaysia, part of an effort to illustrate seamless banking and its role in fulfilling financial needs. Today, there are 7 Maybank@Campuses that are not just pretty chill places to hang out but also a space where students can attend financial literacy workshops, apply for loans, open their first savings account and more.

Coffee across the Causeway!

Down south, we launched MSpace in Singapore, a branch that combined a café with modern banking services. Visitors are able to use a cool app to order drinks, take a queue number for counter service, browse information on financial products, as well as sign up for free workshops.

Integration – Check. Financial know-how – Check. Mellower May Coffee – Check.

2010s, FutureReady to Upskill our Maybankers

Our People power our progress. Having been on this 60-year mission to constantly improve, it is crucial that Maybankers themselves are future-proof, and ready to take on any challenge in our never-changing mission to serve our customers.

FutureReady, a digital upskilling programme for all Maybankers was launched in 2018, aimed to increase digital literacy and upskill our workforce.

Made mandatory, the training is part of our continuous commitment to humanising people development, enabling them to meet customers’ needs more effectively in diverse environments.

Today, Maybankers have been equipped to not only survive, but thrive in the digital universe that is our world. The future will never stop calling, and we firmly believe that if we don’t innovate – we will stagnate.