KUALA LUMPUR: TNG Digital Sdn Bhd has disbursed more than RM1 billion into payroll accounts as part of its broader initiative to enhance financial inclusion for refugees and asylum seekers in Malaysia.
TNGD CEO Alan Ni highlighted the company’s role in facilitating secure salary disbursements through its digital ecosystem.
“Since the issue of financial access for refugees began, we have disbursed over RM1 billion into payroll accounts. This reflects our dedication to ensuring individuals, regardless of their status, can securely receive and manage their income,” he said at a media launch to announce the partnership between TNG Digital and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) today.
The move, in collaboration with UNHCR, underscores TNG Digital’s commitment to integrating vulnerable communities into the formal financial system, ensuring greater economic participation and security.
The initiative stems from a memorandum of understanding signed on World Refugee Day 2024 last June. It enables UNHCR-registered refugees in Malaysia to access a range of essential financial services via TNG eWallet.
The services include payroll deposits into registered eWallet accounts, secure payments and fund transfers, visa card transactions for online or offline payments, ATM withdrawals, GOrewards points and cashback incentives.
The effort aims to address long-standing financial barriers faced by refugees, who often struggle to access banking services due to their legal status.
Ni said TNG Digital’s partnership with regulators, including Bank Negara Malaysia, has refined the eKYC (electronic Know-Your-Customer) verification process to ensure secure identity validation via UNHCR records.
He said refugees and asylum seekers often operate in the informal economy, leaving them vulnerable to unstable income streams and financial insecurity. “By integrating them into a regulated payroll system, TNG Digital’s initiative enhances their financial stability and economic independence.”
Beyond payroll integration, Ni said, TNG Digital is exploring future financial solutions for refugees, including microfinancing, savings programmes and insurance access, to enhance their self-reliance further. “Malaysia continues to evolve as a regional fintech hub, and this initiative signals a major step towards financial inclusivity, ensuring that no one is left behind in the country’s digital economy.”
UNHCR representative in Malaysia Louise Aubin stressed that such partnerships are crucial in protecting and empowering displaced communities. “This collaboration enables refugees to securely receive wages, manage savings and participate in the local economy, basic financial rights that many of us take for granted,” she added.
