We are shocked by the conduct of two Bank Muamalat managers as reported by our members. In retaliation to a trade dispute, Bank Muamalat managers have apparently resorted to inciting racial disunity.

In an incident that happened at the bank’s Kepala Batas branch, the head of its Service Centre uttered racist remarks.

On the same day, in another incident at the bank’s Taiping branch, its manager uttered the words: ‘ Kenapa Nube tak cc kat Yang Di pertuan Agong ? Macam mereka ingat mereka itu sangat besar ’.

Instead of addressing the issues raised, the management of Bank Muamalat has instructed their line managers to resort to inciting racism and intensify the grave dissatisfaction amongst its employees.

We are extremely disappointed that Bank Muamalat - 30% owned by Khazanah Nasional Berhad - which intends to be the second full-fledged Islamic bank established in Malaysia providing Islamic banking products and services to all Malaysians irrespective of race or religious beliefs, thus contributing to the development of modern Malaysia has stooped so low as to incite racism instead of resolving issues affecting their employees.

We are now convinced that Bank Muamalat has no intention to settle the issues affecting their employees and is instead deliberately inciting racial disunity amongst its employees contrary to the very foundation of the ‘1Malaysia’ policy.

We have notified the Finance Ministry of the conduct of Bank Muamalat and we trust the ministry will take immediate steps to curb such racist incitements in the best interests of Malaysians particularly the employees of Bank Muamalat itself.

The writer is general-secretary, National Union of Bank Employees (Nube).