Pic 1: Dafinah Ahmed Hilmi, CEO of HLB Islamic, delivering her opening remarks at the seminar hosted in

Holiday Inn & Suites Penang Prai, Bukit Mertajam

Pic 2: Dafinah Ahmed Hilmi [right] officiating the seminar with YB Goh Choon Aik, Penang EXCO for

Trade and Community Unity [center] and Datuk Phang Ah Tong, MIDA Board Member [left]  

 

PENANG, 20 AUGUST 2026 – Against a backdrop of geopolitical tensions and global trade realignments, Hong Leong Bank (“HLB” or the “Bank”), HLB Islamic, and the Malaysian Investment Development Authority (“MIDA”) convened the Northern Region Investment Seminar 2026, hosted in Bukit Mertajam, Penang. The seminar forms part of HLB’s strategic effort to directly engage Small and Medium Enterprises (“SMEs”) and business owners through hands-on advisory and targeted financial solutions as a value-adding business partner, especially during periods of international market volatility.

 

This comes as the state of Penang generated 38.1% of Malaysia’s total national exports last year, becoming our nation’s top exporting state, attracting RM4.9 billion in manufacturing investments in the first quarter of 2026. Alongside Bank Negara Malaysia (“BNM”) projecting national GDP growth between 4.0% and 5.0% for 2026, this puts the Northern Corridor Economic Region (“NCER”) in a strategic position to drive domestic momentum. Through seminars like these, HLB is taking a proactive approach by entering regional industrial nodes to equip customers and the wider business community with the tools and advisory needed to mitigate global supply chain disruptions and operational headwinds.

 

Speaking at the event, Dafinah Ahmed Hilmi, CEO of HLB Islamic, commented, “At HLB, we are committed to being genuine, value-adding business partners to our customers, and this includes actively reaching out to entrepreneurs and providing tailored solutions within their own ecosystems. We want to ensure that businesses, especially emerging SMEs looking to scale, have direct access to the insights, capital, and tailored guidance necessary to turn regional potential into sustainable growth, especially in times of geopolitical tension."

 

"Supporting our business customers through these economic changes will mean focusing on four structural trends. This includes supporting AI integration, adopting ESG frameworks that meet global supply chain standards, leveraging regional ASEAN connectivity, and utilizing purpose-driven finance to unlock opportunities in the rapidly expanding global Halal economy."

 

Reflecting HLB's ambition to act as a true strategic growth partner, the seminar was structured to equip SMEs with actionable toolkits to survive and thrive through macroeconomic turbulence. The seminar, officiated by YB Goh Choon Aik, Penang Exco of Trade and Community Unity, hosted speakers from HLB and MIDA, as well as CGC Digital, BNM, MATRADE, LHDN, NL Group of Companies, MARA Penang, TERAJU, and SME Corp Penang. Discussions delivered practical intelligence designed to help businesses manage costs, streamline operations, and capture new markets, including talks and briefing sessions on global market shifts, foreign exchange, digital adoption, tax incentives, and financial facilitation mechanisms.

 

For more information on HLB’s business banking solutions, please visit:

https://www.hlb.com.my/en/business-banking/home.html