Latest news with #BankRakyat
The Star
20-07-2025
- Business
- The Star
Bank Rakyat charts new course
BANK Kerjasama Rakyat Malaysia Bhd, or more commonly known as Bank Rakyat, has never been the typical commercial bank. Established in 1954 under the Cooperative Ordinance 1948, it began as a small cooperative banking initiative meant to serve rural Malaysians and civil servants. Cancel anytime. Ad-free. Full access to Web and App. RM 13.90/month RM 9.73 /month Billed as RM 9.73 for the 1st month, RM 13.90 thereafter. RM 12.39/month RM 8.63 /month Billed as RM 103.60 for the 1st year, RM 148 thereafter.
Daily Express
18-07-2025
- Daily Express
No action to make danger stretch safe: Family of victim now struggling to survive
Published on: Friday, July 18, 2025 Published on: Fri, Jul 18, 2025 By: Lorena Binisol Text Size: Ivyna (left) and the victim (right), identified as Suzila Adip from Kampung Samalang, died on the spot. Kota Kinabalu: A tragic road accident on July 7 claimed the life of Suzila Adip (40s), who was struck by a Toyota Hilux while crossing the road in front of a bank along Jalan Masak, Keningau. The incident occurred at around 6:20pm, shortly after Suzila returned to her café workplace as a cashier, having bought food nearby. Advertisement She was crossing the street when the vehicle hit her, causing fatal injuries. Suzila died at the scene. Her untimely death had stirred public outcry. Ivyna Augustine Ensu,President of the Keningau Rural Women's Community Association (PKWPK), spoke out against the hazardous road conditions in the area, which she described as lacking basic safety infrastructure, including road markings, pedestrian crossings, speed limit signs, zebra crossings, and speed humps. 'We live with constant uncertainty. Jalan Masak is one of the main routes for residents, yet there is nothing to help pedestrians cross safely. It feels as though the blame is placed on the victim, but the real culprit is the unsafe road. We urge the authorities to act now before more lives are lost,' pressed Ivyna. Suzila's death had left her family in dire circumstances. Her husband, Nais Embun (57), is a dialysis patient requiring treatment three times a week and is unable to work. With their three children still in school, the loss of their sole breadwinner has severely impacted the family's livelihood. According to Suzina, Suzila's sister, a representative of the driver offered RM3,000 as a 'consolation.' 'It's as if my sister's life held no value. The amount couldn't even cover funeral costs,' she said, expressing disappointment with how the matter was handled. The family of the deceased is appealing for public assistance to help ease their burden during the difficult time. Members of the public can donate through Bank Rakyat account 220821563016 Azlian Adip (Suzila's younger sibling) . Ivyna also recalled a previous fatal incident at the same location, where another woman with a child were struck while crossing the road, pressing for urgent need for infrastructure improvements. The community is now appealing to local authorities to take immediate action to improve Jalan Masak's safety conditions for both pedestrians and motorists. Ivyna also urged pedestrians to exercise greater caution when crossing the road. She emphasized the importance of staying alert and advised against using mobile phones while navigating traffic, even in areas where signage or zebra crossings are present. 'It's crucial for pedestrians to be aware of their surroundings before crossing. Road infrastructure alone can't guarantee safety, we must all play our part,' she advised. PKWPK is assisting the victim's family in securing legal representation, determined to seek justice for the mother, wife, and woman whose life was lost so tragically. * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia
New Straits Times
18-06-2025
- Business
- New Straits Times
Bank Rakyat unveils new scheme for private sector's employees
KUALA LUMPUR: Bank Kerjasama Rakyat Malaysia Bhd (Bank Rakyat) has launched Pembiayaan Peribadi-i Swasta (InstaCash), a new Shariah-compliant personal financing product targeted at private-sector employees. The initiative forms part of the bank's wider strategy offering up to RM50,000 with approval granted within 24 hours. Bank Rakyat chief retail banking officer Khairudin Abdul Rahman said InstaCash is designed to meet the day-to-day financial needs of private-sector workers. "InstaCash comes with competitive profit rates and is structured to support financial wellness among underserved segments, in line with Islamic banking principles. "In just two days since its soft launch, the product has already recorded RM1.3 million in financing disbursed, with 88 applications approved, underscoring the strong early demand," he said at a media engagement today. Khairudin highlighted the application requires minimal documentation, such as salary slips and Employees Provident Fund (EPF) statements, chosen for their reliability and difficulty to forge. "EPF data is harder to fake. If needed, customers can come in, provide a thumbprint and we can verify it instantly through online access. That is part of our risk mitigation strategy," he added. To further streamline the application process, the bank has introduced a QR Brick scan feature, enabling users to initiate their InstaCash application instantly via mobile. Once approved, no guarantor is needed, and customers can sign the financing contract on the same day. Disbursement follows the next morning in accordance with Bank Negara Malaysia's settlement regulations. "This marks a major expansion for the cooperative bank, which currently counts 1.2 million out of Malaysia's 1.6 million civil servants as customers. "With only about 400,000 civil servants left and many already with other banks, it's a saturated space. So it's time we look to the private sector," Khairudin added. Bank Rakyat expects InstaCash to contribute RM130 million in financing by December this year, with an annual target of RM240 million starting from 2026. "If performance and demand are strong, we're open to expanding the facility. But all changes will go through a review cycle for six months, or a year," Khairudin said.
The Sun
09-06-2025
- General
- The Sun
Aidiladha in Cambodia: A Humbling Reflection on Faith and Privilege
PHNOM PENH: On the morning of Aidiladha, I woke up in Kampot to an unfamiliar stillness. No Adhan, no soul-lifting congregational Eid Takbeer, no festive sounds in the air. Nothing to indicate that this is one of the biggest holidays in the Islamic calendar. Back home in Malaysia, the day would begin with those familiar echoes from mosques and surau, a comforting constant we rarely pause to appreciate. From my hotel window, the city lay quiet. No crowds in colourful 'baju Melayu' or women in their prayer clothing or 'telekung' heading to the mosque. It felt strange, even lonely, and for the first time, I missed what I had always assumed would be there. That silence made something clear to me. Back home, we often speak as though Islam is under siege. But here in Cambodia, Muslims practise quietly, with fewer resources, far less visibility, with no complaint. The contrast was humbling. The truth is, we have it good and we don't always realise it. This is what the Bank Rakyat Kembara Qurban Kemboja 2025 initiative, a three-day programme aimed at reaching underserved Muslim communities for the annual sacrificial ritual (Qurban), did to me. It was more than a charity mission - it was a quiet, powerful eye-opener. RESILIENCE FORGED THROUGH FAITH AND COMMUNITY In the outskirts of Kampot at Kampung Trapeng Pinh, our group of 21 volunteers, including seven media practitioners, witnessed the qurban of 10 cows, with the meat distributed to the Muslim community in neighbouring villages. We arrived there by tuk-tuk to perform the Aidiladha prayer and were greeted with warm smiles and heartfelt hospitality. What surprised me most was seeing them performing their wudhu (ablution) in a nearby lake, which was a strange sight for me. Their mosque, Masjid Ar-Rahman, was small and simple, making even our smallest surau back home feel grand. Yet, within those humble walls, faith and devotion filled every corner, proving that true spirituality needs no grandeur. Here, I met the local Imam Abdossomad Abdullah, an ustaz and co-founder of Maahad Al-Rabbani, a madrasah he has spent over ten years helping to establish. His mission has been to encourage the local community of around 5,000 villagers to strengthen Islamic teachings among the younger generation. 'We built this Maahad ourselves, with donations from the villagers, the majority of whom are Muslims. Now, we have over 80 students aged between six and 17 who come from families of fishermen and farmers,' he said. Hearing his story made me reflect on how, back home in Malaysia, the government, particularly at the state level, actively supports Islamic education, including private institutions. In Selangor, for example, they even have Tahfiz Legalisation Programme, which ensures safer, more structured learning environments for students in religious schools. In contrast, these Cambodian madrasahs thrive purely on perseverance and faith. MAAHAD IMAM AS-SHAFIEE: ANOTHER TESTAMENT TO PERSEVERANCE Our journey continued to Kampung Keh, where Maahad Imam As-Shafiee stood proudly, a far cry from the wooden hut it once was. Tucked between modest wooden homes and open fields, the maahad, which has evolved from a wooden hut to a three-block compound, stood as a proud symbol of community spirit and helping hands from Malaysia through Yayasan As-Syafiee. It is now home to 280 young Cambodian Muslims eager to change their lives through education. However, the success story did not come without challenges. One of the educators, Ustaz Badri Ibrahim, recalled how they once relied on wells to reduce monthly water bills that could reach USD300 to USD400, which is widely used as an alternate currency for the local Riel. This was just 15 years ago, a stark reminder of how recent and real those struggles still are. 'The government helps, but unlike in Malaysia, we don't have a specific institution that supervises or oversees our progress and development,' he said. Yayasan As-Syafiee Malaysia chairman Mohd Zamerey Abdul Razak shared that during his visit to Cambodia 15 years ago, he realised that education was the key for the Muslim minority communities to uplift their lives. Moved by this, he gathered friends and like-minded individuals who were willing to support the cause and banded together to help establish the madrasah. 'Then, we organised a Qurban campaign, we got 60 cows, we came and did it here because we wanted to go into the villages and see the reality of their lives because we believe that only education can change their future,' he said. Since then, some students have been accepted into the International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM), with one even doing an internship at Wisma Putra, a proof of education's transformative power. The contrast with Malaysia is striking as Cambodian madrasahs often start with limited resources, relying on community donations and determination. Back home, Islamic education benefits from structured systems, state oversight, funding, better infrastructure, technology, and a developed curriculum. LIFE ON TONLE SAP: STRUGGLES OF THE RIVER-BOUND COMMUNITY On the final day, we proceeded to Kampung Swai Relom in Kandal province, where the Bank Rakyat Kembara Qurban Kemboja programme reached out to 150 Muslim families who call their boats home, offering support and compassion to a community bound closely to the river. They live aboard narrow 10-metre boats, earning a living as fishermen and needing permission from landowners and local authorities just to dock. As members of the Cham community, their lives remain shaped by history, rooted in displacement, and caught in cycles that are hard to escape. The once-nomadic lifestyle of this community, moving from riverbank to riverbank, is now changing as they settle in one location here in Swai Relom with houses and even a mosque built through contributions from caring non-governmental organisations and individuals. Out of curiosity, I asked our local tour guide about zakat, and he replied that it is not like Malaysia, where zakat is institutionalised. Here in Cambodia, zakat is privately given, often in small amounts, he said. With Muslims forming only two per cent of the population, it is hard for it to reach all poverty-stricken families. In Malaysia, the Federal Territories Islamic Religious Council (MAIWP) recently allocated RM6.5 million in zakat aid to 6,500 registered asnaf in Labuan alone. A REFLECTION THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE What struck me most was the quiet dignity of Combodia's Muslim community, grounded in faith, family and a strong sense of togetherness. In Malaysia, we benefit from air-conditioned mosques, subsidised haj programmes and round-the-clock Islamic content as well as full-time officers managing every level of religious affairs. We wear our faith freely and hold Quran recitations in stadiums and express our beliefs openly. These privileges are extraordinary, yet we often forget how rare they truly are elsewhere. This isn't to say we shouldn't protect our values. But perhaps, we can do it without fearmongering, without casting fellow citizens as threats or assuming the worst of others. Instead, let us move forward with gratitude, grace and the quiet strength I witnessed in Cambodia.
The Sun
09-06-2025
- General
- The Sun
A quiet Aidiladha in Cambodia , a loud reminder of faith
PHNOM PENH: On the morning of Aidiladha, I woke up in Kampot to an unfamiliar stillness. No Adhan, no soul-lifting congregational Eid Takbeer, no festive sounds in the air. Nothing to indicate that this is one of the biggest holidays in the Islamic calendar. Back home in Malaysia, the day would begin with those familiar echoes from mosques and surau, a comforting constant we rarely pause to appreciate. From my hotel window, the city lay quiet. No crowds in colourful 'baju Melayu' or women in their prayer clothing or 'telekung' heading to the mosque. It felt strange, even lonely, and for the first time, I missed what I had always assumed would be there. That silence made something clear to me. Back home, we often speak as though Islam is under siege. But here in Cambodia, Muslims practise quietly, with fewer resources, far less visibility, with no complaint. The contrast was humbling. The truth is, we have it good and we don't always realise it. This is what the Bank Rakyat Kembara Qurban Kemboja 2025 initiative, a three-day programme aimed at reaching underserved Muslim communities for the annual sacrificial ritual (Qurban), did to me. It was more than a charity mission - it was a quiet, powerful eye-opener. In the outskirts of Kampot at Kampung Trapeng Pinh, our group of 21 volunteers, including seven media practitioners, witnessed the qurban of 10 cows, with the meat distributed to the Muslim community in neighbouring villages. We arrived there by tuk-tuk to perform the Aidiladha prayer and were greeted with warm smiles and heartfelt hospitality. What surprised me most was seeing them performing their wudhu (ablution) in a nearby lake, which was a strange sight for me. Their mosque, Masjid Ar-Rahman, was small and simple, making even our smallest surau back home feel grand. Yet, within those humble walls, faith and devotion filled every corner, proving that true spirituality needs no grandeur. Here, I met the local Imam Abdossomad Abdullah, an ustaz and co-founder of Maahad Al-Rabbani, a madrasah he has spent over ten years helping to establish. His mission has been to encourage the local community of around 5,000 villagers to strengthen Islamic teachings among the younger generation. 'We built this Maahad ourselves, with donations from the villagers, the majority of whom are Muslims. Now, we have over 80 students aged between six and 17 who come from families of fishermen and farmers,' he said. Hearing his story made me reflect on how, back home in Malaysia, the government, particularly at the state level, actively supports Islamic education, including private institutions. In Selangor, for example, they even have Tahfiz Legalisation Programme, which ensures safer, more structured learning environments for students in religious schools. In contrast, these Cambodian madrasahs thrive purely on perseverance and faith. MAAHAD IMAM AS-SHAFIEE: ANOTHER TESTAMENT TO PERSEVERANCE Our journey continued to Kampung Keh, where Maahad Imam As-Shafiee stood proudly, a far cry from the wooden hut it once was. Tucked between modest wooden homes and open fields, the maahad, which has evolved from a wooden hut to a three-block compound, stood as a proud symbol of community spirit and helping hands from Malaysia through Yayasan As-Syafiee. It is now home to 280 young Cambodian Muslims eager to change their lives through education. However, the success story did not come without challenges. One of the educators, Ustaz Badri Ibrahim, recalled how they once relied on wells to reduce monthly water bills that could reach USD300 to USD400, which is widely used as an alternate currency for the local Riel. This was just 15 years ago, a stark reminder of how recent and real those struggles still are. 'The government helps, but unlike in Malaysia, we don't have a specific institution that supervises or oversees our progress and development,' he said. Yayasan As-Syafiee Malaysia chairman Mohd Zamerey Abdul Razak shared that during his visit to Cambodia 15 years ago, he realised that education was the key for the Muslim minority communities to uplift their lives. Moved by this, he gathered friends and like-minded individuals who were willing to support the cause and banded together to help establish the madrasah. 'Then, we organised a Qurban campaign, we got 60 cows, we came and did it here because we wanted to go into the villages and see the reality of their lives because we believe that only education can change their future,' he said. Since then, some students have been accepted into the International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM), with one even doing an internship at Wisma Putra, a proof of education's transformative power. The contrast with Malaysia is striking as Cambodian madrasahs often start with limited resources, relying on community donations and determination. Back home, Islamic education benefits from structured systems, state oversight, funding, better infrastructure, technology, and a developed curriculum. LIFE ON TONLE SAP: STRUGGLES OF THE RIVER-BOUND COMMUNITY On the final day, we proceeded to Kampung Swai Relom in Kandal province, where the Bank Rakyat Kembara Qurban Kemboja programme reached out to 150 Muslim families who call their boats home, offering support and compassion to a community bound closely to the river. They live aboard narrow 10-metre boats, earning a living as fishermen and needing permission from landowners and local authorities just to dock. As members of the Cham community, their lives remain shaped by history, rooted in displacement, and caught in cycles that are hard to escape. The once-nomadic lifestyle of this community, moving from riverbank to riverbank, is now changing as they settle in one location here in Swai Relom with houses and even a mosque built through contributions from caring non-governmental organisations and individuals. Out of curiosity, I asked our local tour guide about zakat, and he replied that it is not like Malaysia, where zakat is institutionalised. Here in Cambodia, zakat is privately given, often in small amounts, he said. With Muslims forming only two per cent of the population, it is hard for it to reach all poverty-stricken families. In Malaysia, the Federal Territories Islamic Religious Council (MAIWP) recently allocated RM6.5 million in zakat aid to 6,500 registered asnaf in Labuan alone. A REFLECTION THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE What struck me most was the quiet dignity of Combodia's Muslim community, grounded in faith, family and a strong sense of togetherness. In Malaysia, we benefit from air-conditioned mosques, subsidised haj programmes and round-the-clock Islamic content as well as full-time officers managing every level of religious affairs. We wear our faith freely and hold Quran recitations in stadiums and express our beliefs openly. These privileges are extraordinary, yet we often forget how rare they truly are elsewhere. This isn't to say we shouldn't protect our values. But perhaps, we can do it without fearmongering, without casting fellow citizens as threats or assuming the worst of others. Instead, let us move forward with gratitude, grace and the quiet strength I witnessed in Cambodia.
