OCBC Bank (Malaysia) Berhad’s (OCBC Bank) pledge to promote sustainability and preserve the country’s heritage is now evidenced in the cultural attire that its Penang branch staff don every Wednesday.

OCBC Bank Penang branch staff all decked up in their new Wednesday cultural costumes

The dose of cultural goodness and sustainability is part of the Bank’s larger drive to promote preservation in various part of the country.

Every Wednesday the OCBC Penang branch staff come to work all decked in their eye-catching tailor-made Nyonya Kebaya uniforms as a symbol of the Bank’s oneness with the local community.

The Kebaya uniforms were sourced from local Penang boutique Anya Kebaya with meticulous and elegant embroidery worked into stunning pastel fabric. The men’s batik shirts were selected from Malaysia’s renowned designers Truna & Propaganda, famed for their basics to timeless modernity designs.

According to the Bank’s Managing Director and Head of Consumer Financial Services Ms Anne Leh Geok Meng, the dedicated Cultural Wednesday attire has also been implemented at its branches in Melaka and Kuching.

“The idea of bringing a sparkle to the week at the OCBC branch in Penang is part of our celebration and preservation effort surrounding the country’s cultural diversity and local heritage, in this case the Peranakan culture. Each time the middle of the week arrives, all our Penang staff become excited to get on their Nyonya kebaya outfits. This has also put a smile on the faces of our customers,” she said.

OCBC Bank’s roots in Penang go back to 1917, and the Premier Centre was refurbished while maintaining its heritage look and feel in 2014. At the time the decade-old building was upgraded whilst maintaining its cherished heritage as one of the landmarks along Lebuh Pantai. The effort won the Singapore Good Design award.

“While we have evolved progressively over the last 104 years in Penang to become what we are today there, our progressive efforts have never taken anything away from what lies at the heart of the local community,” Ms Leh added.

The OCBC Bank heritage in Malaysia can be traced back to Penang, which was then part of the then Ho Hong Bank. The bank would later merge with Overseas Chinese Bank and Chinese Commercial Bank to become OCBC Bank in 1932. OCBC Bank currently operates in Penang through its Lebuh Pantai branch and two others in Bukit Mertajam and Batu Maung.

Ready to serve customers every Wednesday in their new Nyonya kebaya outfits

“I must say this is a really unique way to celebrate our cultural heritage and it is so nice to see the familiar faces and my Relationship Manager looking great in their traditional costume. Kudos to OCBC Bank for this subtle yet sublime effort in promoting awareness of our Penang Peranakan heritage,” said Ms Chong LL, a customer of OCBC Bank since 1999.