ALOR SETAR, July 25 – Bank Islam Malaysia Bhd (Bank Islam) expects a more encouraging performance in 2013 with the consumer retail sector continuing as the main contributor of profit.
Managing director Datuk Seri Zukri Samat said the sector involving personal, housing and car loans, was being given greater attention as about 70 per cent of Bank Islam’s assets was in it.
“The sector is now very important as over the past few years, it has helped strengthen Bank Islam in the industry,” he added.
He told reporters this after presenting a RM350,000 cheque to the Kedah State Department of Zakat (JNZK) at the Menteri Besar’s office here Thursday.
The Menteri Besar, Datuk Mukhriz Tun Dr Mahathir, witnessed the handing over of the cheque to JZNK secretary, Datuk Ghazali Yaacob.
Mukhriz, in his capacity as chairman of the Kolej Universiti Insaniah (Kuin),also received a RM30,000 zakat cheque from Zukri for distribution among the poor students there.
According to Zukri, Bank Islam is expected to post a higher profit for 2013, surpassing the 2012 achievement of RM600 million.
“The profit has enabled the business zakat to be increased to RM9.25 million and distributed to all the states, based on the deposits in each.
Bank Islam’s 2011 zakat amounted to RM8.80 million.
Meanwhile, Zukri said Bank Islam aims to open 150 branches by 2015 with five this year in Sungai Petani, Senawang, KL Sentral, Padang Garong (Kota Baru) and at Utusan Malaysia, in Jalan Chan Sow Lin (Kuala Lumpur).
This will bring its number of branches to 135 by year-end.
– BERNAMA
