29/09/2025

MONDAY | SEPT 29, 2025

12

BANKING & INSURANCE

OCBC Malaysia initiative to build AI-savvy workforce

Boost Bank, DCAP Digital roll out motorcycle

touchpoints. With Forest City designated as a special financial zone within the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ), the new touchpoints will support the growing local and international business community with cross-border investments, tailored advisory and wealth solu tions, as well as financing needs for individuals, business owners, and foreign investors. By enhancing its physical presence in growth areas across the country, Maybank aims to streng then its role as a trusted institution for individuals, businesses, and the communities it serves. lending solution PETALING JAYA: Boost Bank, Malaysia’s first homegrown digital bank, and DCAP Digital, a full stack AI-powered lending-as-a service platform, have partnered up to launch the Motorbike Loan – the country’s first digital hire purchase solution for motorcycle ownership. Rolled out as a pilot phase in June, the loan has seen positive traction since, with strong interest particularly from the underserved segment. Available at selected motorcycle dealers in the country, there are plans to expand the network across Peninsular Malaysia in the coming months. Eligible applicants can enjoy up to 90% financing for new mopeds (below 250cc), sup ported by an AI-powered fast approval process that delivers a seamless and hassle-free finan cing experience. The product features a fixed interest rate of up to 10% per annum, with flexible loan tenures of up to 60 months. Boost Bank CEO Fozia Amanulla said: “Across first-time buyers, gig workers, and everyday commuters, mobility is a key enabler of opportunity and liveli hood, especially within the under served segment. “With the launch of our Motorbike Loan, we’re addressing a real, everyday need with a digitally accessible solution that removes friction and em-powers more Malaysians to move for ward, both literally and finan cially. “This partnership with DCAP Digital reflects our shared com mitment to innovation with pur pose and marks another step in Boost Bank’s journey to expand meaningful financial access for all.” DCAP Digital co-founder and chief risk officer Wilson Kok said the collaboration with Boost Bank marks a significant milestone for DCAP Digital as it continues to strengthen it strong footing in the motorcycle ecosystem.

signed to future-proof its em ployees. Besides Malaysia, it is also held across OCBC Group’s core markets, namely Singapore, Greater China and Indonesia. OCBC Malaysia human resources head KC Loo said, “Our flagship OCBC Grow Your Way with MOBI is rooted in our people development strategy and acknowledges the challenges posed by the rapidly evolving learning ecosystem, technological advancements, and regu latory changes. “Our aim is to inspire our col leagues to seize opportunities to enhance their career health, path ways, and life-long employability. MOBI is an AI career growth com panion that guides employees on their skills growth and mobility journey in OCBC Group.” She added that the event serves as a group-wide platform for colleagues to explore their skills, articulate their aspirations, and take charge of their growth and development – without fear of AI.

smarter, data-driven decision making across industries. Sim lauded OCBC Malaysia for spearheading the initiatives which are closely aligned with the government’s workforce trans formation agenda, advancing an AI-driven digital future. “It is critical that we embrace AI along with the numerous oppor tunities it brings, and I am pleased to see OCBC Malaysia leading the way for its staff and the industry. “I encourage all Malaysians to pursue a similar path to future prove ourselves and remain ready to adapt. AI will not replace workers, rather it will create new roles and opportunities by re defining current job scope. We should embrace this technology and turn it into opportunities,” he said. Since its inception, OCBC’s Grow Your Way with MOBI has served as a cornerstone of the bank’s development approach, de

lience and grit: thriving amid un certainties; and the continuous learning advantage: staying curious, staying ahead. Tan said that beyond AI, the bank will introduce more forward-looking programmes soon, including growth and skills coaching, designed to strengthen and connect employees with experts and skill coaches for career and skills development. Human Resources Minister Steven Sim Chee Keong, who launched the event, highlighted that while certain conventional jobs may be at risk of being replaced by AI, digitalisation, and green technology, this transformation will also open up substantial oppor tunities for new, high-skilled roles that better match future demands. In addition, he stressed the need for a clear framework to address the ethical and legal dimensions of AI, beyond its technical develop ment, and underscored that AI should be leveraged to enable

PETALING JAYA: OCBC Malaysia is investing more than RM10 million a year in people development programmes, with a significant focus on artificial intelligence (AI), reskilling and upskilling. At the launch of its people development-centred “OCBC Grow Your Way with MOBI” flagship event recently, OCBC Malaysia CEO Tan Chor Sen said the investment aims to equip its workforce of more than 5,000 employees with the skills needed to navigate the challenges and seize the opportunities pre sented by rapid global changes. “AI is rapidly transforming the world, and OCBC Malaysia is committed to ensuring our people are well-equipped to harness this technology effectively to innovate and work efficiently. Today, we offer close to 480 AI programmes, spanning from foundational AI concepts to advanced topics such as Generative AI and Agentic AI. Nearly 3,890 employees have parti cipated, with close to 12,500 course completions recorded to date,” he added. To support the nation’s develop ment of local talent in artificial intelligence, starting next year, the bank will dedicate two scholar ships under the OCBC Scholarship Programme for students pursuing AI-related disciplines. This year, the event’s theme centres on the role that Generative AI plays in the development of the bank’s staff, focusing on five key future-centred areas – the future landscape of skills: navigating emerging trends and technologies; enhancing skills in the era of AI and advanced technology; inspiring success stories: OCBC AI project implementations; building resi o Bank investing RM10 million annually in people development programmes

From left OCBC Singapore group human resources head Lee Hwee Boon, Tan, Sim, OCBC l-Amin CEO Syed Abdull Aziz Syed Kechik and Loo at the launch.

Maybank expands community reach to 473 touchpoints nationwide PETALING JAYA: Malayan Banking Bhd (Maybank) has reinforced its leadership in community banking with the expansion of its national footprint to cover 473 touchpoints nationwide, strategically positioned in high-growth areas and vibrant communities. South branch, showcasing a next generation branch concept that embodies the bank’s vision of the future of banking. we know that physical touchpoints remain vital in ensuring financial inclusion, especially in communi ties that value face-to-face inter action. ninth Maybank@Campus touch point at UiTM Puncak Alam, with a tenth in the pipeline, in Universiti Utara Malaysia.

Serving nearly 220,000 tertiary students and campus communities, Maybank@Campus touchpoints fea ture a digital-first, self-service con cept that enables quick and con venient everyday banking services, while also hosting financial literacy programmes and other youth focused initiatives. In the coming months, Maybank will be launching touchpoints in Johor’s Forest City and Medini, strengthening its presence in Johor, where the bank already operates 59

Banking & Finance Maybank community financial services group CEO Syed Ahmad Taufik Albar said, “While digital banking continues to grow rapidly, In addition to its conventional and Islamic branches, Maybank’s physical touchpoints in Malaysia include service centres, private wealth centres, premier wealth centres, auto finance centres, SME centres and and commercial centres – collectively forming the largest physical banking network in Malaysia.

“Our goal is to combine digital innovation with the personal touch of human connection, delivered through Malaysia’s most extensive and accessible banking network. “Maybank Bangsar South is a showcase of this approach, re imagining the banking experience to be more open, personal, and community-driven. It reaffirms our commitment to serve every seg ment of society.” In May, Maybank launched its

Guided by its purpose of “Humanising Financial Services”, the bank remains focused on making banking accessible, relevant, and inclusive for the communities it serves – from bustling urban hubs to regional economic corridors and university campuses. As part of this expansion, the bank recently launched its Bangsar

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