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| [L-R] Firdaus Mohamed, Chief Executive Officer of GoBarakah; Zulkifli Abdullah, Senior District Assistant Officer (Land Management); Azleena Idris, Senior Director, Strategy & ESG, PayNet; Dafinah Ahmed Hilmi, Chief Executive Officer, Hong Leong Islamic Bank; Sally Ahmad, Founder of SURI Langkawi; and Faisol Abdullah, Advisor of SURI Langkawi. |
LANGKAWI, Feb 20 (Bernama) -- Payments Network Malaysia Sdn Bhd (“PayNet”) announced today that Hong Leong Islamic Bank Berhad (“HLISB”) has become the first bank under its PayNet Cambah programme to empower 100 Langkawi households in their journey towards financial self-sustainability.
This initiative, launched in support of SURI Inspirasi (“SURI”), builds on the success of PayNet Cambah’s collaboration with the social enterprise, focusing on empowering underserved families and communities by creating sustainable sources of income.
PayNet Cambah, launched in 2023, is an ESG-focused social impact programme designed to create self-sustaining communities among underserved segments in Malaysia, aligning with the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Through its partnership with SURI, the programme's pilot project in Langkawi has equipped mostly unbanked households with life skills, digital payment literacy, and financial knowledge.
SURI is a social enterprise dedicated to zero-waste fashion and community empowerment. They work with B40 mothers and families, providing them with the skills and resources to upcycle discarded fabrics into unique fashion items, bags, and crafts.
This innovative approach not only diverts textile waste from landfills but also creates sustainable jobs and empowers underserved communities to become entrepreneurs. Following their success in the Klang Valley, SURI has expanded its operations to Langkawi, bringing its positive impact to a wider community.
Within two years, SURI has established the SURI Kilim Hub as its production headquarters and secured long-term collaborations with eight high-end resorts and local authorities, contributing to Langkawi's transformation into a sustainability-focused, community-based tourism destination. Notably, the community is producing upcycled reusable shopping bags for the ASEAN 2025 meetings in Langkawi, with public sector support.
"We are incredibly proud of the success of the Langkawi community," said Farhan Ahmad, Group Chief Executive Officer of PayNet. "They have become a thriving community-based, ESG-focused small industry. PayNet Cambah was designed for lasting impact, using an agile approach. Initially unfamiliar with ESG and cashless payments, the community now embraces them, preferring digital payments due to the e-commerce opportunities and beyond. This shift has improved their financial track record and bankability. HLISB is now further guiding these communities towards financial independence with values-based banking, which is aligned with the essence of PayNet Cambah.”
According to Dafinah Ahmed Hilmi, Chief Executive Officer of HLISB, the bank is constantly seeking innovative ways to integrate social impact into its core business operations. VBI is not just about community investment but about creating sustainable business models that benefit both the bank and the communities it serves.
"This collaboration with PayNet and SURI perfectly embodies our commitment to Value Based Intermediation (VBI). We have been working with SURI since 2018 through HLB JumpStart, our own social enterprise empowerment programme, and witnessing their growth from a small social enterprise in Klang to now empowering communities in Langkawi is truly inspiring. This journey demonstrates the power of sustainable finance in creating positive social impact. We are excited to further support SURI and other social enterprises like them, across Malaysia, to achieve their full potential."
“PayNet Cambah has been instrumental in empowering the Langkawi community," said Puan Sally Ahmad, founder of SURI. "This programme, combined with the continuous support from the Bank, has been transformative for us. They believed in our vision from the very beginning. They provided not only crucial business support but also invaluable mentorship and access to a wider network. This kind of partnership, where established institutions provide opportunities and guidance, is essential for social enterprises like ours to thrive and create sustainable impact. The PayNet Cambah initiative has now amplified our reach, allowing us to empower even more underserved communities and contribute to Langkawi's sustainable development. We are incredibly grateful for this collaborative effort and excited to see the continued growth of the community under both PayNet and HLISB.”
The PayNet Cambah programme also benefited from collaborations with Bank Negara Malaysia (“BNM”), Agensi Kaunseling dan Pengurusan Kewangan (“AKPK”), Pejabat Daerah dan Tanah Langkawi, Lembaga Pembangunan Langkawi (“LADA”), and local business leaders.
In its next phase, HLISB will leverage the iTEKAD programme under BNM and its internal capabilities to further assist these communities in growing their businesses and catalysing the local tourism, culture, and craft economy in Langkawi.
This phase will also explore collaborations with promising fintechs to address existing challenges with innovative digital payment solutions. Discussions are underway with Go Barakah, the award-winning AI-enabled fintech to enhance transparency in the distribution of benefits to deserving groups.
For more information on PayNet and the PayNet Cambah programme, please visit www.paynet.my.
For more information on the HLB Jumpstart programme, please visit https://www.hlb.com.my/en/personal-banking/about-us/jumpstart-csr.html
About Payments Network Malaysia Sdn Bhd (PayNet)
Payments Network Malaysia (PayNet) is Malaysia's national payments network with a mission to accelerate the country's payment flows by making the digital payment infrastructure more accessible, widespread, and secure. Our comprehensive retail payments suite - including DuitNow (QR and Transfer), JomPAY (Bill Payments), FPX (Online), MyDebit (Domestic Debit), MEPS, and IBG (Interbank GIRO) - provides extensive coverage across the nation, forming a core part of daily life in Malaysia.
Additionally, PayNet's real-time retail QR payments network, DuitNow, is interoperable with domestic schemes in Singapore, Thailand, and Indonesia, facilitating seamless cross-border transactions with these countries. PayNet is committed to promoting a secure, efficient, and innovative payments ecosystem in Malaysia and works closely with its stakeholders to develop new products and services that meet the evolving needs of consumers and businesses. For further details, please visit our website: www.paynet.my.
About Hong Leong Islamic Bank Berhad
Please visit https://www.hlisb.com.my/en/personal-i/home.html
SOURCE: PayNet
FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:
Name: Farah Ǫistina
Tel: +60 16-209 5448
Email: Farah.Qistina@edelaman.com
Name: Aina Zuraini
Tel: +60 11-1169 2356
Email: Aina.Zuraini@edelman.com
--BERNAMA
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