KUALA LUMPUR, 2 DECEMBER 2009 – Customers of Malaysia’s Bank Simpanan Nasional (BSN) will be able to access internet banking services as the result of a tripartite agreement.
BSN general manager and chief executive officer Datuk Adinan Maning said the bank has appointed Web-based technology provider Cyber Village (CV), together with its business partner IBM Malaysia, to bring value-added Internet banking services and offerings to BSN customers through a new service called myBSN.com.my.
“Subject to the approval from the relevant authority, these services will be available to its customers in the first quarter of 2010,” said Adinan.
“Among the services provided are online bill payment, prepaid reloads for mobile phones, fund transfers, Premium Savings Certificates (SSP) purchase, PIN purchase, and online applications for deposits and credit cards,” he said. “There will be a dedicated call centre to manage customer enquiries for the new services.”
“We realise that our customers are incorporating the Internet into practically every aspect of their lives,” he added. “As a direct response to the changing needs of our customers, we aim to provide them with an alternative channel to do their banking transactions.”
Awareness campaigns
“As a community bank, we want all our customers, especially those in rural areas, to be able to utilise this new alternative channel,” said Adinan. “There will be some awareness campaigns with activities such as briefings at the branches or community centres to educate them on the new services. We also have plans to set-up Internet kiosks at strategic locations which are supported by reliable communication lines.”
He said BSN has invested about US$1.47 million (RM5 million) for the Internet banking project, which will be built on iBankStar, a locally-developed Internet banking solution provided by CV, powered by IBM’s Websphere application server, DB2 technologies, and BladeCenter platform.
“Besides providing customers with better services, BSN also expects a reduction in its operational costs by optimising internal systems and processes with fewer over-the-counter transactions for more than seven million banking customers,” said Adinan.
“In order for BSN to serve its customers better through myBSN.com.my, it is critical for the bank to deploy the best technology to support its new services,” said IBM Malaysia managing director, Ou Shian Waei. “This Internet banking solution created by a merging of IBM and Cyber Village technologies will provide a safe, reliable, and robust platform to BSN, to ensure that BSN can achieve higher customer satisfaction through the new services.”
