Singapore still top Maybank contributor outside Malaysia

SINGAPORE is Maybank's top contributor - on a pre-tax profit basis - outside Malaysia, but Indonesia appears to be snapping at its heels.

"From a PBT (profit before tax) perspective, Singapore is the biggest contributor outside of Malaysia. From a topline perspective, Indonesia is the biggest contributor," Abdul Farid Alias, group president and CEO of Maybank, told The Business Times yesterday at a press briefing.

"The net interest margin is bigger, but the cost is higher. So we need to manage the costs better," he added, referring to Indonesia.