SINGAPORE, Sept 3 — Maybank said today its banking operations in Indonesia have not been affected by the anti-Malaysia demonstrations by some of the Indonesian protest groups.

“Business is as usual at its 290 branches Indonesia-wide,” said Maybank president and chief executive officer Datuk Seri Abdul Wahid Omar here.

On the two demonstrations by Indonesian protesters outside its branches in Serang and Makasar recently, Abdul Wahid said they were only isolated incidents.

Several groups in Indonesia, such as the vocal Bendera (People's Bastion for Democracy), are staging an anti-Malaysia campaign following the recent case of alleged mishandling of Indonesia’s marine officials by Malaysian coast guards in the disputed territorial seas off Johor and Bintan.

Abdul Wahid is here to launch a dedicated Islamic banking hub at the bank’s branch in Geylang Serai, a Malay-Muslim populated area, this evening.

Speaking at a media conference at the Maybank headquarters, Abdul Wahid said he was in Jakarta last week and regarded the demonstrations as a minimal threat to the bank branches.

He, however, said the bank would ensure no untoward incidents happen to its banks and personnel, adding that similar protests had occurred in Jakarta before following disputes between the two countries over issues such as the Ambalat seas, the origin of Pendek dance and batik.

Moving forward, Abdul Wahid said Maybank would be opening a new branch each week in Indonesia, targeting 70 branches a year to reach over 400 by the coming years.

The bank is also increasing its presence as one of the top Islamic banking players in Indonesia, converting its existing subsidiary PT Bank Maybank Indocorp into a Syariah entity, and developing new and innovative Syariah-compliant products.

Maybank would also leverage on Bank Indonesia Internasional’s customers and delivery channels for its Syariah business, Abdul Wahid said.

He said the bank’s Islamic share in Indonesia was targeted to triple from the current one per cent to two or three per cent by 2015. — Bernama