2nd December 2025 - 4 min read
Hong Leong Islamic Bank (HLISB) is celebrating its 20th anniversary with a series of initiatives designed to strengthen youth development, financial literacy, and long-term wealth building. The bank has introduced the HLB@Campus campaign to bridge the gap between education and real-world financial decision-making, while also expanding its community partnerships and product offerings.
The focus on financial empowerment comes at an important time. According to the RinggitPlus Malaysian Financial Literacy Survey 2025, 54% of Malaysians feel anxious, frustrated, or embarrassed about their financial situation, while 55% live paycheck to paycheck. These findings highlight the need for practical and accessible financial guidance, especially for young adults stepping into financial independence.
HLB@Campus focuses specifically on university students by bringing tailored banking solutions and financial education directly to campus environments. The initiative includes student-focused account options, on-campus engagements, and the Student Ambassador Programme, which gives young Malaysians early exposure to responsible wealth creation and leadership skills.
The campaign is being introduced through partnerships with Universiti College MAIWP International, Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin, and Universiti Utara Malaysia. A memorandum of understanding was also signed with Universiti College MAIWP International to expand Waqf-related initiatives, enabling customer contributions to support medical equipment and patient care.
Young Malaysians continue to show positive financial habits. The RMFLS 2025 report notes that 40% of Gen Z save more than RM500 monthly, up from 36% in 2024, and only 11% do not save at all, the lowest across all generations. These trends highlight the importance of continued financial education efforts targeted at young adults.
While HLB@Campus focuses on students, it complements HLISB’s broader financial-literacy initiative known as HLB DuitSmart. DuitSmart aims to make financial knowledge simple and accessible for Malaysians of all backgrounds through infographics, audio guides, and practical content on topics such as savings, credit scores, scams, and basic banking concepts.
As of 30 June 2025, the DuitSmart Financial Literacy Workshop has reached nearly 29,656 participants nationwide. HLISB has also expanded DuitSmart to support visually impaired communities by offering audio and Braille learning materials through collaborations with blind associations. The bank has introduced “talking ATMs” in selected locations to further improve accessibility.
Together, HLB@Campus and DuitSmart form a holistic approach to improving financial awareness among students, young adults, and underserved communities across the country.
HLISB’s focus on financial education is supported by practical banking tools that help Malaysians begin building wealth confidently. One such solution is the HLB Meezani Account-i, launched in August 2025 as a Shariah-compliant investment account that offers both flexibility and accessibility.
The Meezani Account-i does not require a fixed tenure, allowing customers to grow their savings while maintaining full access to their funds for withdrawals or transfers. Through its unrestricted investment structure, customers may also enjoy periodic draws and rewards such as cashbacks, holidays, and education funding, subject to campaign terms and conditions.
The account’s flexible nature makes it suitable for students, gig workers, young adults, and first-time savers who want a simple way to begin their wealth-building journey.
To encourage Malaysians to start or strengthen their financial journey, HLISB is running a Special 20th Anniversary Campaign until 31 December 2025. New customers who place an initial RM200 in an HLB Meezani-i Account can receive RM20. Customers with approved and disbursed ASB-i Financing may receive RM50 cashback. Existing Meezani-i customers can receive RM100 cashback when they top up RM2,000 into their account.
These incentives reflect HLISB’s intention to make wealth-building more accessible to a wider range of Malaysians.
According to HLISB Chief Executive Officer, Dafinah Ahmed Hilmi, the bank’s approach is built around supporting customers through every stage of their financial journey. This includes opening a first savings account, investing for the future, supporting business growth, protecting families, and planning for legacy transfer.
She explains that HLISB’s philosophy emphasises responsible financial stewardship, meaningful economic contribution, and long-term wellbeing across generations. The bank aims to remain a partner to customers throughout their lives, ensuring their financial decisions are supported by Shariah-compliant solutions that provide stability and purposeful growth.
HLISB’s 20th anniversary initiatives demonstrate its continued commitment to financial inclusion and community empowerment. By combining financial education, student engagement, accessible wealth-building tools, and inclusive outreach programmes, the bank aims to support Malaysians in making informed, confident, and responsible financial choices.
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Samuel writes about personal finance and financial news, focusing on how banking updates, policies, and promotions affect everyday money decisions. He enjoys making complicated financial topics easier to follow. Outside of writing, he spends his time watching TV shows and occasionally convincing himself he will only watch one episode.
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