ETIQA TAKAFUL RECEIVED PRESTIGUOS AWARD

15 July 2008– Etiqa Takaful Berhad was awarded the prestigious Best Takaful Marketing award at the International Takaful Award 2008 held in conjunction with the Second International Takaful Summit 2008 in London 15 July 2008. The award was presented to Etiqa Takaful, the only Malaysian takaful company nominated in the global 11­category event, by a member of the House of Lords, Lord Mohamed Shiekh who is also the Head of the Muslim Conservative Forum and Mr Mohaned Abdullah from the Middle East Business Forum.
Etiqa Takaful was hailed for its innovative and people­centric marketing approach, making it the outstanding nominee in the best marketing category. "The efforts which were put in to promote the new Etiqa brand, indeed makes it unique amongst the other takaful operators" quipped Mohaned Abdullah, Director of Sales from Middle East Business Forum. Other nominees in the category were Salama (Islamic Arab Insurance Co) from UAE and SABB Takaful (a member of HSBC Group) from Saudi Arabia.

Etiqa is the single master brand for insurance and takaful businesses under Mayban Fortis Holdings Berhad, the insurance and takaful arm of Maybank Group. The brand essence of Etiqa – humanizing insurance and takaful – is supported by four brand attributes namely performance with conscience, crystal clear, hand­in­hand and rock solid.

"Since the launch of Etiqa brand in November 2007 with the core essence of humanizing insurance and takaful, we have taken every effort to ensure that our values cascade to every single member of the Etiqa family. Our attributes are encapsulated in our behavior, work culture and how we treat our customers. We have simplified processes and empowered our people to give customers positive experiences when dealing with us," said Shahril Azuar Jimin, Executive Vice President and Head, Corporate Planning of Etiqa who were present to receive the award together with Chief Executive Officer of Etiqa Takaful Haji Mohd Tarmidzi Ahmad Nordin.
"We are dedicated to ensure that our products and services are innovative, relevant and people­centric – in line with our brand essence of humanizing takaful. Amongst the simplifications implemented include benefits such as RM1,000 immediate cash advance for funeral expenses and faster than industry average claims processes. We also ensure that our products are accessible through diverse distribution channels and are affordable and cater to our increasingly sophisticated customers," said Haji Mohd Tarmidzi.
This is the first International Takaful Award introduced at the International Takaful Summit. Organized by Afkar Consulting, Middle East Business Forum and Islamic Banking and Finance Institute Malaysia (IBFIM), the International Takaful Summit 2008 received great response with more than 300 delegates from over 30 countries. Among the supporting partners are Bank Negara Malaysia, UK Trade & Investment Department, International Underwriting Association of London and International Cooperative and Mutual Insurance Federation (ICMIF).

The International Takaful Award 2008 is divided into 11 categories namely Best Takaful Company; Best Re­Takaful Company; Best Takaful Reinsurance Company; Best Takaful Products; Best Takaful Technology Company; Best Takaful Asset Manager; Best Takaful Ratings Company; Best Takaful Advisory Firm; Best Takaful Marketing; Best Takaful Law Firm; and Outstanding Achievement Award. All nominees are assessed by independent market professionals.
"This award shows that our effort in putting customers' positive experience first has been recognized and moving forward, we will continue to listen to our customers as they are the core of our existence," added Shahril.

Etiqa Takaful's effort in humanizing takaful is also reflected in the disbursement of tithe or zakat through their Corporate Zakat Responsibility (CZR) programme. Apart from cash contribution, Etiqa also contribute by building homes for the underprivileged, building town halls, canteen and hostel for the community, all involving volunteers amongst the Etiqa families. Contributions made via CZR to date amount to approximately RM2.0 million. "It is not just about marketing products, it is about the people, building relationships and mutual trust," said Haji Mohd Tarmidzi.