
SEC partners Maybank Investment Bank to advance ESG agenda and sukuk programme
From left: Sabah Energy Corporation (SEC) CEO Datuk Adzmir Abd Rahman, SEC chairman Datuk Annuar Ayub and Maybank Investment Bank CEO Michael Oh-Lau.
KUALA LUMPUR: Sabah Energy Corporation Sdn Bhd (SEC) has reaffirmed its commitment to institutionalising ESG best practices through a 12-week roadmap to develop a fit-for-purpose Sustainable Finance Framework — a key step towards its inaugural sukuk programme.
SEC group chairman Datuk Annuar Ayub said in a satement the initiative is part of SEC's long-term dedication to responsible energy development, with a focus on balancing environmental sustainability, economic growth, and community well-being.
It will also support the establishment of the company's inaugural sukuk programme to finance green energy projects.
To facilitate this, SEC has appointed Maybank Investment Bank as its sole principal adviser, lead arranger, and sustainability structuring adviser for the sukuk and ESG framework.
The collaboration aims to establish a Shariah-compliant, sustainability-ready funding platform for the state's energy transition efforts.
'Sabah is at an inflection point in its renewable energy journey, with untapped potential in solar, bioenergy and geothermal. Maybank as a regional leader in Islamic debt capital markets and sustainable finance is partnering with SEC to establish a Shariah-compliant, sustainability-ready funding platform to support its energy transition efforts and direct capital towards developing the state's energy resources,' Maybank Investment Bank chief executive officer Michael Oh-Lau said in a statement.
SEC is also launching community-driven ESG initiatives, including an annual corporate charity run aimed at promoting community health and social impact.
The announcements were made during SEC's inaugural ESG Forum 2025, held at Menara SEC, where over 100 delegates from state agencies, financial institutions, and sustainability bodies gathered to explore collaborative pathways in ESG adoption across Sabah.
In his opening remarks, SEC group chief executive officer Datuk Adzmir Abd Rahman welcomed guests to Menara SEC, describing it as the corporation's new home and a symbol of progress.
Adzmir also highlighted SEC's responsibility to pursue responsible and forward-looking energy development — one that balances environmental stewardship, economic growth, and community well-being.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


New Straits Times
5 hours ago
- New Straits Times
Four factors contributing to rising unresolved inheritance cases
SUBANG: Wasiyyah Shoppe Bhd, a Shariah-compliant estate planning specialist, has identified four key factors contributing to the growing number of unresolved inheritance cases. Its chief executive officer Ariffin Sabirin said the first factor complicating inheritance cases is the continuous rise in property values. "Secondly, Muslim community assets are becoming increasingly diverse and complex, including company shares, investment accounts and gold. "Thirdly, disputes among heirs over their respective rights, and fourthly, the low level of awareness about estate planning among the public," he said at a media briefing. Ariffin said Wasiyyah Shoppe had transferred over RM1 billion of estate assets to rightful heirs, involving more than 800 deceased clients as of Dec 31, 2024. "The processes of hibah and estate administration are complementary and fall under the jurisdictions of the Shariah and civil courts respectively. Both must be resolved comprehensively to secure the rights of the heirs," he said. In addition, Wasiyyah Shoppe introduced a service called Al-Wasitah, which provides free verification of hibah and estate administration for heirs, aimed at avoiding confusion and additional financial burdens. Following a recent viral case, Ariffin expects demand for the Al-Wasitah service to rise significantly as more people become aware of the importance of completing both hibah and estate administration processes. Wasiyyah Shoppe now has 3,700 professional agents across Malaysia, including Sabah and Sarawak. According to him, the agents play a crucial role in raising awareness and educating the public on the importance of comprehensive estate planning. Ariffin emphasised that Wasiyyah Shoppe has never neglected the aspect of continuous public education, as matters concerning death and asset management are generally uncomfortable topics for public discussion. "Wasiyyah Shoppe urges individuals who own assets such as at least one house and a bank account to begin planning their estates using legitimate, Shariah-compliant, and comprehensive methods to avoid burdening their heirs in the future," he said. Meanwhile, Ariffin clarified that the recent viral issue involving the revocation of hibah takaful does not involve Wasiyyah Shoppe in any way. He said the issue is technical in nature and relates to the validity of Schedule 10 under the Islamic Financial Services Act 2013, and does not affect the operations or record of Wasiyyah Shoppe.


Malaysia Sun
7 hours ago
- Malaysia Sun
Malaysia's Maybank leads in underwriting largest Islamic financing for data centers in Asia-Pacific
Xinhua 11 Jun 2025, 21:47 GMT+10 KUALA LUMPUR, June 11 (Xinhua) -- Malaysia's largest bank Maybank is underwriting 2.5 billion ringgit (590 million U.S. dollars), which is one-third and the largest share of the biggest syndicated Islamic financing for data centers in Asia-Pacific, to support DayOne Data Centers green data centers in the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ). The bank said in a statement on Wednesday that this onshore ringgit Islamic tranche, amounting to 7.5 billion ringgit (1.77 billion U.S. dollars), and an equivalent USD-denominated offshore conventional tranche, form a five-year, dual-currency green financing package totaling 15 billion ringgit (3.54 billion U.S. dollars). Headquartered in Singapore, DayOne is a global digital infrastructure platform with a growing presence across both tier-one and emerging markets. Its anchor data center campuses will be located in the JS-SEZ, and are expected to comprise a commanding share of its planned capacity across ASEAN and Japan.


The Star
8 hours ago
- The Star
Big banks collaborate on Johor data centre deal
PETALING JAYA: United Overseas Bank (M) Bhd (UOB) has announced its role as joint coordinator, mandated lead arranger, underwriter, and bookrunner in one of South-East Asia's largest data centre financing deals. The landmark deal, which involves a dual currency loan of RM15bil, is also the largest syndicated green Islamic facility in Malaysia. DayOne Data Centres Singapore Pte Ltd announced yesterday it had closed a landmark RM15bil equivalent multi-currency financing arrangement comprising a RM7.5bil Murabahah Term Financing facility and a US$1.7bil offshore term loan facility. OCBC Bank (M) Bhd and its parent, Singapore-based Oversea-Chinese Banking Corp Ltd, is joint coordinator, mandated lead arranger, bookrunner, and green financing coordinator (MLAB), with OCBC Bank also serving as joint syariah adviser. The deal supports DayOne's data centre development in the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ). UOB arranged the financing in syndication, together with other banks. The financing involved CIMB Investment Bank Bhd, the Singapore arm of CIMB Bank Bhd, Credit Agricole CIB, DBS Bank Ltd, Maybank Investment Bank Bhd, Standard Chartered Bank (Singapore), United Overseas Bank Ltd, and UOB (M) Bhd as MLABs. UOB Malaysia chief executive officer Ng Wei Wei said the landmark transaction reflects the bank's commitment to supporting infrastructure projects that advance sustainable digital transformation across Asean. 'By jointly financing DayOne's data centre in the JS-SEZ, we are not only supporting Malaysia's digital economy but also strengthening the connectivity backbone that enables businesses from both sides of the Causeway to thrive in the digital age. 'We remain committed to the continuous support and development of the JS-SEZ as a strategic economic corridor that enhances regional connectivity and drives sustainable growth,' she said. Headquartered in Singapore, DayOne is a global leader in digital infrastructure, with a growing footprint across tier-one and emerging markets, including Singapore, Johor, Batam in Indonesia, Greater Bangkok, Hong Kong, Tokyo, and beyond. The financing facility enables DayOne to refinance existing loans while funding new data centre developments, creating a stable foundation for long-term growth and optimal capital allocation across their expanding regional portfolio. Malayan Banking Bhd (Maybank) meanwhile said it is underwriting RM2.5bil to support DayOne Data Centres. The amount is one-third of the largest syndicated Islamic financing for data centres in the Asia Pacific. Maybank president and group chief executive officer Datuk Khairussaleh Ramli said the transaction represents Maybank's largest Islamic financing commitment to the data centre sector. Meanwhile, OCBC Bank said the dual-tranche financing – structured under the Green Loan Principles – will partially fund the refinancing and capital expenditure of DayOne's data centres in Johor. The data centres in Johor already meet or are expected to meet Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold or higher certification by the US Green Building Council, setting a new benchmark for sustainable digital infrastructure. OCBC Bank chief executive officer Tan Chor Sen said that, as one of the largest integrated financial services groups in the region, OCBC's regional strength enables it to support both the onshore and offshore tranches of this landmark syndication. 'As a key MLAB, we supported DayOne with one of the highest underwriting commitments, reflecting our commitment to fostering a sustainable future that aligns with our leadership in responsible finance,' Tan said