KUALA LUMPUR (Apr 15): Malaysia Building Society Bhd (MBSB) is hoping to see a loan growth of up to 8% this year from 3% last year.

"We are hoping for a 7% to 8% loan growth this year despite foreseeing a challenging environment," MBSB president and chief executive officer Datuk Ahmad Zaini Othman told pressmen during a press conference after the company’s annual general meeting today.

He said MBSB’s growth will be driven by the strengthening of its risk management and compliance framework.

Ahmad Zaini added that the 3% growth last year was a small amount because the company was concentrating its resources on its proposed mega merger with RHB Capital Bhd and CIMB Group Holdings Bhd.

On whether there is another merger that the company is looking at, Ahmad Zaini kept mum but hinted that there is something to look forward to — either by the end of this year or sometime next year.