A BANKING union is keeping up the pressure on Malayan Banking Bhd (Maybank), the nation’s largest financial institution by asset size, on alleged ‘gross mishandling’ of a sexual harassment case involving a female employee.

National Union of Bank Employees (NUBE) has announced plans for after-office hours pickets at four locations today: Ipoh, Perak; Seberang Jaya, Penang; Batu Pahat, Johor; and Kuala Lumpur.

On its part, Maybank has denied the allegations.

The momentum began with an initial picketing on Wednesday (Aug 28) outside Maybank’s branch in Bercham, Perak, in what the union said was a ‘protest of Maybank’s gross mishandling’ of a sexual harassment case involving one of its employees.

“This picket aims to bring attention to the victim’s plight and demand immediate and just action from Maybank’s top management,” it said in the statement.

The union alleged that on Oct 6, 2021, a young female employee of Maybank Bercham lodged a formal complaint with the bank, reporting that her superior had been sending her sexually explicit and inappropriate messages via WhatsApp.

Despite her confronting him and asking him to stop, the statement added that her work environment became increasingly hostile, with the alleged perpetrator ‘making her daily life unbearable, subjecting her to threats and undue pressure, all while the bank remained silent.’

The statement alleged that from October 2021 to August 2024, despite the serious nature of the allegations and what it said was clear evidence, Maybank had failed to take any concrete action against the perpetrator.

On Aug 14, NUBE said it exposed the ongoing harassment and Maybank’s inaction through a public article.

“Following the publication, Maybank contacted the victim, not to take action against the aggressor but to subject her to a fresh investigation—one that she had already undergone in 2021. Despite having all necessary documentation from the initial investigation, Maybank sought to re-tumatise the victim by forcing her to relive the experience,” it said in the statement.

On Aug 20, it said the victim refused to attend a redundant investigation, insisting that the matter be resolved at the national level.

In response, the union said that Maybank had suspended her, ‘effectively punishing her for her courage to speak out.’

“Maybank’s actions represent a blatant disregard for its own Group Dignity Policy and PNB’s Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) guidelines. This is not just a failure to protect an employee but a direct assault on the dignity and rights of all bank employees. Maybank’s response—or lack thereof—sends a chilling message that harassment is tolerated and even enabled under its watch,” the statement added.

Permodalan Nasional Berhad (PNB), one of the largest fund management companies in Malaysia, is the major shareholder of Maybank.

In its statement, shared on platform X, Maybank said that while Malayan Commercial Banks’ Association (MCBA) and the bank had denied the allegations narrated by NUBE, it would assure all stakeholders that there had been no unfair actions as alleged by NUBE.

“MCBA, its member Banks and NUBE are currently undergoing various legal processes and as such, we are unable to comment further. We urge that NUBE also respects the process accordingly,” it added. — TMR