Banking group adopts Segamat village

The Star

13-05-2025

(From left) Bardin, Noor Hisham, Mohd Rashid and Mohd Effendi at the Santuni Madani ceremony at Masjid Kampung Gudang Garam, Segamat.
Kampung Gudang Garam's adoption under the Federal Government's Satu Pemim­­pin, Satu Kampung (Santuni Madani) programme by RHB Banking Group is good news for residents of the village in Johor's Segamat district.
Village chief Noor Hisham Mohd Noor said it has a population of nearly 400.
'The majority of villagers are retired farmers who once worked in oil palm, rubber and durian plantations.
'We are located on the outskirts of town and there are only a few streetlights here, making it difficult for us to travel at night.
'With RHB's help, our daily commute, especially to the mosque, has become easier now that we have solar-powered lights,' he said after the Santuni Madani ceremony at Masjid Kampung Gudang Garam.
He added that the initiative should be expan­ded so that more rural villages could benefit from the programme.
Masjid Kampung Gudang Garam committee chairman Bardin Uteh also expressed gratitude for the group's support in improving the mosque and making it more comfortable.
'We hope that with this upgrade, our 40-year-old mosque can organise more activities for the community,' he said.
RHB Banking Group managing director and group chief executive officer Datuk Mohd Rashid Mohamad said it had pledged nearly RM1mil over the next three years to support the Santuni Madani programme, aimed at uplifting underserved communities and bridging socio-­economic gaps.
'Our involvement begins with the adoption of Kampung Gudang Garam.
'This is a reflection of our long-term pledge to walk alongside the communities we serve.
'We are focusing on two key areas: improving basic infrastructure and alleviating poverty through sustainable programmes,' he said.
Among the infrastructure upgrades were repainting and renovating the mosque, installing solar-powered lights along paths leading to the mosque and cemetery as well as the provision of a new water tank.
'In the long term, we aim to make the mosque energy-efficient through a solar power system,' said Mohd Rashid.
To alleviate poverty, RHB is delivering financial literacy work­­shops and social protection awareness programmes in partnership with agencies such as Employees Provident Fund, Social Security Organi­sation (PERKESO) and Amanah Saham Bumiputera.
He said the group had also extended support to the nearby SMK Gemereh by conducting financial literacy programmes, offering support to 40 students from B40 families who are preparing for the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) and providing back-to-school kits to orphans.
'We have also donated equipment needed by the school to improve digital learning capabilities and support the integration of technology into education.'
'With SMK Gemereh included, RHB has now adopted 10 schools nationwide through its social impact initiatives.
'Our long-running corporate social responsibility programme, RHB Touch Hearts, will also be mobilised this year, with more than 13,000 employees participating in activities to deliver financial literacy and upskilling programmes for students, improving school infrastructure and supporting local communities across Malaysia and selected Asean countries,' he said.
These efforts, Mohd Rashid added, aligned with the group's broader sustainability aspiration under its Progress27 three-year corporate strategy, which aims to empower 2.5 million individuals and businesses across Asean by 2027.
'Through our Santuni Madani commitment, we're not just investing in infrastructure – we're investing in people, their education and their future,' he said.
Also present was RHB Banking Group southern regional director Mohd Effendi Abdul Razak.