Kuala lumpur: The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) has signed cooperation agreements with four Malaysian banks to mobilise up to US$6 billion for infrastructure projects across the ASEAN region. The initiative aims to support sustainable and technology-enabled infrastructure, focusing on sectors such as renewable energy, power transmission, transport, digital infrastructure, and telecommunications.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, the banks involved in this collaboration are Malayan Banking Bhd (Maybank), CIMB Bank Bhd, AMMB Holdings Bhd, and Bank Pembangunan Malaysia Bhd. These agreements, which have an initial term extending to October 2031, were formalized following the ASEAN Summit held in Kuala Lumpur. The partnerships are designed to advance green and inclusive infrastructure, enhance regional connectivity, and stimulate private capital mobilisation to address ASEAN’s growing infrastructure needs.
AIIB highlighted that the combination of Malaysian banks’ regional expertise in developing and managing large-scale infrastructure assets with AIIB’s capacity to provide long-term capital through debt and equity financing is expected to be beneficial. Kim-See Lim, AIIB’s chief investment officer for public sector (Region 1) and financial institutions and funds (global) clients, emphasized the unique contributions each bank brings to the table, particularly in asset class financing across Asia.
Kim further noted AIIB’s role in integrating environmental, social, and governance standards into projects and its ability to attract additional capital necessary for regional connectivity initiatives like the Asia Power Grid (APG). She underscored the importance of meeting the energy demands of ASEAN, which is projected to become the fourth-largest collective economy by 2030, and expressed AIIB’s commitment to supporting the region’s energy transition.
AIIB, a multilateral development bank established in 2016 with a focus on sustainable infrastructure, has accumulated over US$64 billion from more than 300 projects in 38 countries. The bank maintains a AAA rating from major international credit rating agencies, reinforcing its position as a reliable partner in global infrastructure development.