Letter to editor
MALAYSIA’S largest bank and government-linked company (GLC) Maybank is dismissive of human life. That Maybank disregards human rights is a known and incontestable fact.
The National Union of Bank Employees (NUBE) has exposed this on numerous occasions over the years. From union busting to indiscriminate dismissals of union leaders and employees, harassing workers, condoning sexual harassing, Maybank has done it all.
The latest disgraceful act by Maybank concerns a late member of NUBE who was working as a priority teller at a Maybank branch in Perak. This teller, a mother, mysteriously passed away on July 12 this year.
NUBE wrote to the CEO of Maybank quoting a Sinar Harian article entitled “Pegawai Bank Songlap RM2 Juta Dalam Akaun Pelanggan” (literally, “Bank official Stole RM2 Mil from A Customer’s Account” where it was expressly stated that a police report had been lodged that the late member was involved in a RM2 mil fraud.
Maybank CEO Datuk Khairussaleh Ramli did not see the loss of a life and the implications of fraud against a demised worker – a lady – as serious enough to respond to NUBE. Instead, he had his Datuk Brian Jit Singh (Maybank group industrial relations & governance head) to send a condescending response to NUBE.
NUBE briefly asked how the funds were transferred, who authorised them, what processes were compromised and what actions have been taken.
Brian Jit Singh merely responded stating:
Maybank has not endorsed nor published the specific information nor allegations. Maybank has robust safeguards in place and Maybank is not at liberty to disclose matters to us.
NUBE is curious as to whether:
- Did Maybank’s robust safeguards in place enable a fraud involving RM2 mil?
- Why did the police quote Maybank, if Maybank did not give any information?
Over the years, Maybank’s system has been largely criticised and Maybank as custodian of public funds has been duping the public.
NUBE wrote to the CEO again, inquiring, amongst others, if the Sinar Harian report was accurate and if Maybank provided any information to the police.
Datuk Khairussaleh Ramli failed to respond which speaks volume about Maybank’s system. This is not the fault of the workers.
NUBE will continue to pursue answers to the RM2 mil fraud that caused the mysterious death of the late NUBE member for if this is left unchecked, other NUBE members in the same category might be similarly affected. – July 29, 2024
J. Solomon
Kuala Lumpur
J. Solomon is the secretary-general of the National Union of Bank Employees (NUBE).
The views expressed are solely of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Focus Malaysia.
