OCBC Al-Amin spreading wings in Sabah and Sarawak

SIBU: OCBC Al-Amin Bank Bhd has set its sights on expanding into Sabah and Sarawak by opening its first Islamic banking branch in Sibu, Sarawak.

The branch, OCBC’s third entity in Sarawak – after its branches in Kuching and Miri – also features the bank’s first Islamic premier banking centre in Sabah and Sarawak. With this, OCBC Al-Amin now has twelve branches nationwide.

The new branch offered a range of OCBC Al-Amin’s Islamic banking products and services for individuals, small and medium-sized enterrprises and corporates, it said in a statement yesterday.

It also features safe deposit boxes and a premier banking centre with a comfortable private customer discussion area. Other services include 24-hour electronic banking services comprising auto teller and cash/cheque deposit machines.

OCBC Al-Amin chief executive officer Syed Abdull Aziz Syed Kechik said the bank was looking into expanding into Sabah and Sarawak since its establishment in 2008.

“Expansion into Sabah and Sarawak has been a key part of our overall Islamic banking network-building strategy from the start. The move brings us a step closer to being better represented in our key markets.

“We are proud to announce also that our Sibu branch is the very first Islamic premier banking centre in Sabah and Sarawak, and only the third nationwide after Kota Kemuning, Shah Alam and Skudai, Johor,” he said adding that this was a significant milestone in OCBC’s journey toward even greater sophistication in Islamic banking.

“OCBC Al-Amin has grown steadily since our inception in 2008. With the opening of our first Islamic premier banking centre here in Sabah and Sarawak we hope to raise the bar in Islamic banking products and services for the high net worth segment in this region.

“We are eager to be part of the growing affluent community here in Sibu and are pleased to offer our expertise in Islamic banking products and services in a bigger way to the locals.

“We continue to expect further growth in terms of our premier banking offerings and we see Sibu as key to reaching the surrounding markets here in Sarawak,” he said.