KUALA LUMPUR (Feb 28): Non-executives of SME Bank can look forward to a pay rise of between 5% and 12%, following the signing of a cumulative agreement with the National Union of Commercial Workers.

In addition, the non-executive staff and their family members will enjoy a 38% increment for outpatient treatment and an increment of 20% for hospitalisation under the new benefits.

In a statement today, SME Bank chief executive officer of operations and group corporate management Datuk Razman Mohd Noor said through the new agreement, SME Bank's non-executives will receive an increment of basic salary from RM900 to RM1,200 a month.

As a development finance institution, Razman noted that SME Bank has also successfully produced 186 specialised development bankers since the introduction of the graduate trainee programme (GTP) in 2007.

GTP is one of the programmes in developing human capital to help improve the nation's economic growth and it is in line with the government's economic initiatives of the 11th Malaysia Plan (2016-2020) and TN50, which aims to produce knowledgeable and skilful people, and possess positive attitude to continue improving the global economy especially among the youth.