KOTA KINABALU: Customers of the Alliance Bank Damai branch are warning that they will close their accounts and withdraw their fixed deposits (FDs) if the bank decides to go ahead with its closure on March 1, 2018.
The frustrated customers, many of them have been loyal to Alliance Bank, said that they would terminate their relationship with Alliance Bank and move to other banks instead.
They also appealed to Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) to take note of the concerns and needs of the local community here and put a stop to the closure of Alliance Bank Damai branch.
Joshua Fung, who has been a customer of the bank since he was six years old, said the Alliance Bank Damai branch served a broad customer base in Damai, Dah Yeh, Luyang and Foh Sang.
In fact, he said there were 2,377 businesses in Damai, Luyang and Dah Yeh areas, 7,663 residents, 10 private clinics, two secondary schools, 49 coffee shops and restaurants and three hospitals which employed more than 1,000 staff.
“Lots of people use the services at Alliance Bank Damai branch,” he said in a press conference here yesterday.
Also present were Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (MATTA) president Datuk KL Tan, Sabah Association of Tour and Travel Agents (Satta) president Datuk Seri Winston Liaw, Datuk Ho Jia Lit, Peak Condominium Management Corporation chairman Peter Mo, Dr Melinda Tong, doctors, lawyers, architects, engineers, hospital staff, professionals and senior citizens.
He said relocating the customers to the Jalan Gaya branch would be inconvenient as they would have to travel to the city centre for banking services.
Additionally, Fung said the solutions proposed by the bank, including maintaining a 24/7 e-lobby at the Damai branch was incompatible with the needs of the community.
He said the move from Damai to Jalan Gaya branch was a zero-sum game as the services and attention given to the existing clients at Jalan Gaya branch would be taken away from them.
“The Alliance Bank Damai branch handles 300 customers daily.
“Customers at the Jalan Gaya branch will be concerned because the bank will have an additional 300 customers to look after now.”
Fung pointed out that in many parts of the world, banking services were moving out of the city centre to accommodate the needs of the people but the Alliance Bank was doing the opposite.
He said the decision to shut down the Damai branch was made by individuals outside Sabah, who have no understanding of the local circumstances nor local knowledge of the State.
“We are distinct from Kuala Lumpur, West Malaysia and other countries.”
He said the economic circumstances, road infrastructure and Internet here were different.
More than 600 signatures were collected in a petition against the close of Alliance Bank Damai branch, which has been submitted to BNM on November 17.
Fung said the fact that 600 people had signed the petition showed that the Damai branch services were needed here.
“It shows that the bank is so integrated in the local community that to move the branch will be terrible for the people, and to do so without conducting proper survey is even more shocking.
“We need counter transaction and face-to-face services in this community.”
Meanwhile, Dr Tong said the Alliance Bank Damai branch would be the fifth branch closed after the Petagas, Tamparuli, Karamunsing and Kota Belud branches.
She said customers were not only appealing to Alliance Bank, but also BNM which has the authority to put a stop to the closure.
She said the 26 cafes and 23 coffee shops in the vicinity relied on the branch for bank-in and cash withdrawal services.
Dr Tong said the community here were not ready for Internet banking yet, unlike Kuala Lumpur which enjoyed fast Internet services.
“Banks are important to the development of communities.
“Please help us to develop and catch up with West Malaysia.
“If you close down a bank in a busy business area like this, we all suffer.”
She urged BNM to take note of the different banking needs of the local community and response to the concerns the customers have put forward.
Mo, on the other hand, said Alliance Bank should not have deserted their loyal customers in Damai.
If Alliance Bank decides to go ahead with the closure of its Damai branch, Mo said he would move his account to another bank and withdraw his FD.
“We will tell our friends to close their Alliance Bank accounts and end their relationship with the bank,” he said, a sentiment that was shared by all the others at the press conference.
East Luyang Resident Committee chairman Chia Miu Lee added that while profit-making was the main aim of the bank, they should carry out social obligations to serve the community as well.