1965 - Southern Bank Bhd was founded as Southern Banking Ltd
Founded in 1965 from humble roots in Penang, Southern Banking Ltd quickly expanded to other parts of Malaysia.
It was later renamed Southern Bank Bhd and gained recognition as an important player in wealth management products, credit cards and SME lending. The bank was the first in Malaysia to set up the MEPS/ATM system.
1965 - Bank Bumiputra Malaysia Bhd was incorporated
Bank Bumiputra was established in 1965, in line with government initiatives to increase Bumiputra participation in the Malaysian economy.
By the 1980s, it had become the largest bank in the country in terms of assets. Its infrastructure provided access to banking facilities where there was none before, contributing to the growth of small-scale enterprises and assisting the flow of investment into rural areas.
It was the first Malaysian bank to have operations in New York, London, Tokyo, Bahrain and Hong Kong. In 1982, it was listed as the largest bank in Southeast Asia by Asian Finance magazine.
