Maybank plays down collateral for loans to SMIs

COLLATERAL would not be Malayan Banking Bhd's (Maybank) principal criteria for approving loan applications by small- and medium-sized industries (SMIs) as greater emphasis would be placed on business viability, realistic business plans, business environment and competition. 

Executive vice-president and head of enterprise financial services group Zulkiflee Abbas Abdul Hamid said the bank's core business was lending and it welcomed any opportunity to do so. He added, however, that it was also the bank's responsibility to ensure good lending, to be prudent and package its loans properly.