Malaysian Banks Open Financial Relief Programmes For Customers Affected By Middle East Conflict

Christina Chandra

8th April 2026 - 4 min read

Three Malaysian banks have announced financial assistance measures for customers feeling the pressure of the escalating Middle East conflict, as the closure of the Strait of Hormuz pushes up energy prices and raw material costs, disrupting supply chains for businesses that depend on imported goods.

A survey by the Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers (FMM) found that nine in ten companies polled are already affected or expect to be within weeks, adding urgency to calls for relief from both the government and the financial sector.

Malayan Banking Bhd (Maybank), CIMB Bank Berhad and CIMB Islamic Bank Berhad, and Bank Muamalat Malaysia Berhad have each announced programmes covering individuals and businesses.

Repayment Relief And Restructuring Available

The three banks are offering broadly similar measures, though the specifics of each programme differ.

Maybank said on 7 April 2026 that assistance is available for both individuals and businesses, with measures that include adjustments to repayment terms and loan tenure extensions. The bank said it will work closely with customers to understand their individual circumstances before determining the appropriate form of support.

CIMB announced the following day that eligible customers can apply for up to six months of payment relief on loan and financing facilities. Business customers, including small and medium enterprises (SMEs), can additionally access customised restructuring and rescheduling solutions to help manage repayment obligations without halting operations.

Bank Muamalat‘s Temporary Financial Resilience Assistance Program is open to individual customers with financing facilities who are experiencing a reduction in salary or loss of income, but who are still able to resume payments under revised terms. The programme offers rescheduling, which may include lower monthly instalments or an extended financing tenure, as well as full restructuring where the financing terms, selling price, or documentation need to be revised. Customers enrolled in an Agensi Kaunseling dan Pengurusan Kredit (AKPK) programme or who have been declared bankrupt are not eligible.

How To Apply At Each Bank

Each bank has set up its own application process, and customers do not need to wait to be contacted.

Maybank customers can apply through the “Financial Relief” option on Maybank2u, speak with a relationship manager at any branch or service centre, or call the customer care hotline.

CIMB customers can submit a Payment Assistance Programme form on the bank’s website, contact their Relationship Manager directly, or visit any CIMB branch nationwide.

Bank Muamalat customers can email a completed application form along with supporting documents to bantuanbayaran@muamalat.com.my. Applications will be assessed and customers will be notified of the outcome. For enquiries, the bank’s Customer Care line is 03-2600 5500, or customers can visit any Bank Muamalat branch.

What Relief Programmes Typically Involve

Across all three banks, the assistance on offer is structured around deferring or restructuring repayments rather than removing them. The total amount owed does not disappear; it is either pushed to a later period, spread across a longer tenure, or reorganised under revised terms.

For customers already under genuine financial pressure, a few months of reduced or paused repayments can provide meaningful breathing room, particularly if income has dropped suddenly and other fixed expenses have not. For those whose income has not been directly affected, the longer-term cost of extending a loan tenure or restructuring a facility may outweigh the short-term convenience.

Before applying, it is worth asking the bank directly how any deferred amounts will be treated, whether profit or interest charges continue to accrue during the relief period, and what the monthly commitment will look like once normal repayments resume. These details can vary between facilities and between banks, and the full picture matters more than the headline relief period.

For households and businesses navigating tighter cash flow right now, the most useful first step is simply to make contact with your bank and explain the situation. All three banks have indicated that assistance will be assessed based on individual circumstances, and none require customers to be in default before applying.

Christina Chandra

Christina writes about personal finance with an eye for making the complicated feel straightforward. She is drawn to the everyday money decisions people face and genuinely enjoys finding the clearest way to explain them. Between articles, she is probably napping, on a hiking trail, or terrorising her sister’s cats.

0 0 votes

Article Rating