Kuching, 30 April 2008 - Alliance Bank treated its loyal customers to an unforgettable evening at its Customer Appreciation Dinner at the Sarawak Club today. Hosting the event was Alliance Bank's Group CEO, Datuk Bridget Lai and the senior management team who flew in from Kuala Lumpur, and the East Malaysia Regional Office (EMRO) team of Kuching.

In her opening note for the evening, Datuk Lai said, “Alliance Bank is deeply honoured to make its presence felt in Kuching and to be serving the community with our experience and strength in consumer and commercial banking, particularly for SMEs.”

“We look forward to building a long-term synergistic relationship with our customers and will continue to channel our efforts towards meeting the specific financial needs of our customers through innovative financing facilities and advisory services.”

Earlier in the day, Alliance Bank strengthened its presence in the flourishing modern city of Kuching with the launch of its RM3.6 million branch in Jalan Laksamana. Strategically located mid-way between established and renowned residential areas and Kuching's city centre, Alliance Bank Laksamana is the first Alliance Bank branch in Kuching to have a designated Kids' Corner, equipped with brightly-coloured toys to keep customers' children occupied while waiting for their parents to complete their banking transactions. This will further enhance the customer-friendly ambience of the branch.

Speaking at the launch of Alliance Bank Laksamana, Datuk Lai said: “Alliance Bank Laksamana is an example of our dedication and commitment to making banking convenient and stress-free for our customers. Our branches are designed to reflect our recognition of our customers as individuals with unique needs. Alliance Bank branches have different styles to suit our local customers' profiles and demographics. This is very much in line with the Bank's customer-centric community approach towards banking.

The banking amenities at Alliance Bank Laksamana reflect the needs of the local community which it serves. For instance, with the commercial district of Central Park located nearby, the Alliance Business Centre will enable the Bank to cater to the unique needs of its commercial customers with specially trained and knowledgeable staff. Other facilities include a Privilege Banking Centre to cater to the needs of Kuching's high net worth customers, a Trade Window, Share Trading Centre, Alliance Direct Marketing Centre and a 24-hour e-banking lobby.

In addition to the facilities provided, there is a professional team of Personal Financial Wealth Consultants & Personal Financial Loan Consultants who are experienced in managing various types of client portfolios. Customers of the Privilege Banking Centre are attended to by Alliance Bank's Customer Relationship Managers who are well-versed with the needs of high net worth customers.

“As a customer-focused bank, Alliance Bank's branch expansion plans are more than just about the number of branches. It is also about offering our customers a branch banking experience that is appealing, welcoming and customised to their preferred lifestyle needs. Our strategy is to make our customers feel that Alliance Bank is a bank that is committed and dedicated to them,” elaborated Datuk Lai.

With a total of 20 branches in East Malaysia, Alliance Bank will continue to strengthen its presence in rapidly-growing areas across Malaysia. The Bank has also invested substantially in the past two years to upgrade its risk management and information technology systems to better serve its customers.

Alliance Bank Laksamana branch is headed by its Sales Manager Belinda Teo Fei Leen, Service & Operations Manager David Voon Siew Leong, and May Lee, Regional Sales Manager of Privilege Banking EMRO. The branch is located at 70 and 71, Block 10, Jalan Laksamana Cheng Ho, Kuching.