RHB Banking Group and AMMB Holdings Bhd have activated flood relief measures for individuals and small and medium enterprises affected by the recent floods and heavy rainfall in Sabah and Sarawak. The relief programs are designed to ease immediate financial pressures while supporting long-term recovery for households and local businesses in the flood-affected regions. The initiatives run through February 2025, reflecting a decisive response from the financial sector to regional weather-related disruptions. By combining payment deferrals, fee waivers, and targeted financing facilities, RHB and AmBank aim to preserve financial stability for customers facing disruptions to their incomes, livelihoods, and operations. The relief efforts also underscore the banks’ broader commitment to community resilience and disaster response in the Sabah-Sarawak corridor, where flooding has intensified the need for accessible support mechanisms. With these programs, customers can seek temporary reprieve from debt obligations while gradually returning to normal financial activity once the flooding subsides and recovery progresses. The measures cover both personal banking needs and SME operations, acknowledging the dual role of households and small businesses as the backbone of regional recovery.
RHB Banking Group flood relief package
RHB Banking Group has unveiled a comprehensive flood relief package targeting both individuals and SME clients in Sabah and Sarawak who have been impacted by the floods and heavy rainfall. The package emphasizes flexibility in repayment arrangements, minimizing additional financial strain during the recovery phase. It includes a series of relief options designed to adapt to different financial circumstances, ensuring that customers can maintain essential banking services while navigating temporary hardships.
For individual customers
The relief program for individual customers centers on easing monthly debt burdens and avoiding punitive charges during the flood recovery period. Key features include deferment options for payments on mortgages, personal loans, and other financing facilities. By extending the time horizon for repayments, customers can reduce monthly outlays at a time when incomes may be disrupted or uncertain due to flood-related impacts. In addition, RHB is offering waivers on late charges associated with delayed payments, helping to alleviate the cumulative cost of missed due dates during recovery. The package also includes waivers or concessions related to card replacements, recognizing that floods can damage or destroy payment cards and other banking instruments. Beyond the financial relief itself, RHB has committed to on-the-ground community support aimed at accelerating recovery in flood-affected communities. This element recognizes that financial relief alone is not sufficient; practical assistance and collaboration with local organizations can help households regain stability sooner.
For SME customers in Sabah and Sarawak
Small and medium enterprises in Sabah and Sarawak will also benefit from tailored relief measures. The SME components mirror the individual relief actions, offering payment relief options to ease operating costs during the immediate recovery window. In addition, RHB provides a dedicated disaster relief facility (DRF) designed to support business continuity and recovery. The DRF offers financing of up to RM700,000 to assist SMEs in rebuilding operations, replacing damaged equipment, repairing facilities, and restoring supply chains disrupted by flooding. This facility is intended to help SMEs bridge cash flow gaps, safeguard jobs, and reestablish normal commercial activity as quickly as possible. By combining flexible payment relief with accessible disaster financing, RHB aims to minimize business disruption and accelerate the return to normal operations across flood-affected SMEs in the region.
Community and operational outreach
RHB’s flood relief package is complemented by an emphasis on community involvement. On-the-ground support is part of the broader strategy to help flood victims in their relief and recovery efforts. This includes engagement with local communities, coordination with relief agencies, and proactive outreach to ensure affected customers are aware of the available options and can proceed with applications in a timely manner. The program underscores RHB’s recognition that effective disaster response requires both financial flexibility and active community engagement to address a wide range of recovery needs.
How to access and eligibility
Customers seeking relief through RHB should engage through official banking channels. Information on how to apply for the flood relief program, eligibility criteria, and the specifics of the DRF are available through the bank’s official customer service channels and branch networks. In practical terms, affected customers can approach their nearest RHB branch or contact the bank via official digital or call center channels to initiate the relief process. While explicit contact details are not included here, customers are encouraged to use validated, official RHB platforms to obtain guidance, confirm eligibility, and submit applications. The program is designed to be straightforward to access for eligible customers, with a streamlined process intended to reduce friction during a difficult period.
Financial outlook and risk management considerations
From a risk management perspective, the RHB relief package balances the immediate needs of flood-affected customers with prudent lending practices. By offering deferrals, fee waivers, and a substantial DRF for SMEs, the bank supports customer resilience while maintaining disciplined credit risk assessment. The DRF’s capped financing at RM700,000 reflects a targeted approach to large-scale SME recovery without creating undue exposure. The overall program signals a long-term commitment to regional recovery, acknowledging that effective disaster relief requires coordination between financial institutions, regulators, and local communities to restore economic activity and confidence in flood-affected districts.
AmBank flood relief programme
AmBank has announced its flood relief programme designed to assist customers affected by the floods in Sabah and Sarawak. The program emphasizes temporary relief from financing obligations and reductions in incidental banking costs, supporting both individuals and business customers in their recovery efforts.
Individual customer relief measures
For individual borrowers and account holders, AmBank is offering a moratorium of up to six months on monthly financing payments. This deferral structure is intended to relieve monthly cash flow pressures during the flood recovery window when income may be uncertain or disrupted. In addition to payment relief, AmBank is waiving incidental fees that can add to financial strain during disaster recovery. The waived fees cover routine items such as passbooks, cheque books, and card replacements, addressing the practical needs that arise when flood damage or service interruptions occur. These measures are designed to preserve access to essential banking services and reduce the ongoing cost burden for customers re-establishing their financial routines after a flood event.
SME and business customer relief
For SME and other business customers, the same overarching relief approach applies, with a focus on stabilizing operating costs and preserving working capital during the recovery period. The six-month payment moratorium can help SMEs manage cash flow as revenue streams recover and supply chains are restored. The removal of incidental banking fees further lowers the day-to-day expenses associated with maintaining banking relationships during a time of disruption. By combining debt deferral with fee relief, AmBank aims to support SMEs in Sabah and Sarawak as they navigate the challenges posed by flood events, enabling them to resume normal operations more quickly.
Accessing the AmBank flood relief programme
Customers seeking information on AmBank’s flood relief options should rely on AmBank’s official channels for guidance and application processes. Although direct URLs cannot be included here, customers are advised to consult AmBank’s official website and contact channels to verify eligibility, understand the terms, and complete any required steps for enrollment. The program is structured to provide a clear and efficient pathway for eligible customers to access relief promptly, minimizing administrative delays during the recovery period.
Access and application process for flood relief
The flood relief programs from both RHB and AmBank reflect a coordinated approach to disaster relief that prioritizes swift access to support for affected customers. While the specific qualification criteria and documentation requirements are not detailed in this summary, the general framework emphasizes early engagement with banking representatives through official channels, ensuring customers understand their options and can begin the relief process without unnecessary delays. In practice, customers should expect to:
- Confirm eligibility by engaging with the bank through official channels, whether at a local branch or through approved digital platforms.
- Provide documentation demonstrating the impact of the flood on their finances or business operations, after which the bank will assess and determine the applicable relief measures.
- Choose among available options, such as deferrals, moratoriums, and fees waivers, in consultation with bank representatives to align relief with their financial situation.
- Complete the enrollment or application steps required by the bank, with the expectation of timely feedback and implementation of relief measures.
The programs are available through February 2025, indicating a defined window within which customers can access relief. It is important for customers to initiate discussions with their banks promptly to ensure the relief measures can be activated in time to mitigate the flood’s impact on cash flow and credit obligations. Banks may require ongoing updates on the customer’s recovery status and continuing eligibility, given the evolving nature of disaster situations and financial needs.
Regional impact and broader context
The floods affecting Sabah and Sarawak have underscored the critical role of financial institutions in community resilience. When natural disasters disrupt incomes, supply chains, and business operations, accessible liquidity and predictable cost structures become essential to maintaining household stability and supporting business continuity. The flood relief programs announced by RHB and AmBank reflect a broader pattern in which banks adapt to regional disasters by tailoring relief products to local conditions. By offering repayment deferrals, fee waivers, and disaster-focused financing facilities, these banks acknowledge the importance of local recovery dynamics and the need to reduce friction for customers navigating flood-related challenges.
In Sabah and Sarawak, where flood risk is a recurring concern, banks’ flood relief measures can help preserve consumer confidence, prevent cascading financial difficulties, and protect jobs within the SME sector. The disaster relief facility for SMEs especially supports business continuity, helping companies repair facilities, replace equipment, and maintain supply chains as communities rebuild. On-the-ground community support is another critical component, recognizing that recovery goes beyond financial relief and includes practical assistance and collaboration with local organizations to address housing, health, and basic needs in flood-affected areas.
Financial considerations, oversight, and transparency
From an industry perspective, the deployment of flood relief programs requires careful oversight to balance immediate customer needs with prudent lending practices. Banks ensure that deferrals and fee waivers do not undermine long-term financial health or risk management capabilities. Programs like the DRF for SMEs are designed to channel financing to productive purposes that support economic revival, while maintaining transparent terms and clear criteria for eligibility. The use of structured relief plans allows banks to monitor exposure, assess evolving credit risk, and adjust terms if the disaster situation persists or changes. For customers, these measures provide a predictable framework during an uncertain period, helping households and businesses make informed decisions about how to prioritize cash flow, investment, and debt management while recovery progresses.
Additional considerations and guidance for applicants
Applicants should approach these relief programs as part of a broader recovery strategy. While the specifics of eligibility and documentation will be disclosed by each bank, customers can prepare by gathering information about their flood impact, including any property damage, temporary business closure, inventory loss, or disrupted cash flow. Clear documentation of income disruption and the status of financing obligations will facilitate a smoother evaluation process. Customers should maintain open communication with their banks, providing updates if the recovery timeline shifts or if additional support becomes necessary. It is also advisable to review any ancillary banking services that may be affected by the flood, such as debit or credit card functionality, to determine whether replacements or temporary alternatives are required.
Conclusion
RHB Banking Group and AmBank have taken decisive steps to support flood-affected individuals and SMEs in Sabah and Sarawak through comprehensive relief programs. Key features include mortgage and personal loan payment deferments, six-month moratoriums on monthly financing, and waivers of incidental fees such as passbooks and card replacements. The RHB package also introduces a disaster relief facility for SMEs, offering financing up to RM700,000 to assist with business recovery, complemented by on-the-ground community support to aid flood victims. AmBank’s program focuses on providing temporary cash-flow relief and reducing ongoing banking costs to help customers stay connected and capable of restarting normal operations as soon as possible. The combined efforts from these financial institutions reflect a broader commitment to regional resilience, ensuring that households and small businesses in flood-prone areas have practical tools to navigate the immediate aftermath and the longer recovery journey. Through accessible channels, transparent terms, and timely assistance, the flood relief programs contribute to stabilizing finances, preserving livelihoods, and accelerating the path to restored normalcy in Sabah and Sarawak.