CIMB Islamic Bank Berhad announced on Apr. 6 that it has mobilised RM750,000 in seed funding since 2023 to support the iTEKAD CIMB Islamic Melon Manis Terengganu Graduate Agropreneur Programme. The initiative aims to empower underserved and asnaf students through sustainable agropreneurship, resulting in the cultivation of approximately 12,000 Melon Manis Terengganu plants.
The programme is significant as it provides practical and income-generating opportunities for youth from underserved communities, particularly in modern agriculture. It is designed to foster inclusive economic empowerment and strengthen local agro-based value chains.
Following a successful first cohort, CIMB has expanded the programme for a second group of participants at Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin Besut Campus. The launch event was officiated by several key figures including Datuk Syed Zaid Albar, Chairman of CIMB Group; Dato’ Mohd Hj. Fadzli Yusof from Yayasan DiRaja Sultan Mizan; Prof. Dato’ Dr. Fadzli Adam of UniSZA; Novan Amirudin, Group Chief Executive Officer of CIMB Group; Ahmad Shahriman Mohd Shariff, CEO of CIMB Islamic; Haniz Nazlan and Toni Darusman from CIMB.
Novan Amirudin said, “This programme reflects our commitment to advancing customers and society by harnessing Islamic social finance as a catalyst for inclusive and sustainable nation‑building. By thoughtfully integrating financial inclusion with capacity building, we empower students to develop resilient livelihoods while strengthening local agro‑based value chains and enhancing income opportunities in Terengganu. Beyond supporting individual participants, the programme helps nurture a new generation of future‑ready agropreneurs by creating practical and sustainable pathways for youth to participate in high-growth high-value sectors for the nation, particularly modern agriculture, contributing to a more resilient and inclusive food security landscape overtime.”
Participants receive technical expertise training along with entrepreneurial skills development through collaboration with Yayasan DiRaja Sultan Mizan (YDSM) and UniSZA. All members from the first cohort remain active in the programme with each achieving an average income around RM3,000 per harvest.
Bazli Amin Baharin shared his experience: “As a bachelor’s degree student in Agribusiness at UniSZA, this programme complemented my academic learning and gave me the opportunity to experience agriculture beyond the classroom. Being involved hands-on in crop management, financial planning and marketing has strengthened both my technical and business capabilities and more importantly, built my confidence to manage my own cultivation projects. I am grateful to CIMB for the exposure… This is an experience I will carry forward as I take my next steps.”
Another participant Nur Syazwani Safi Sukri said: “I joined the programme to gain new exposure in agriculture… Thanks to CIMB… helped recognise my potential in agriculture… giving me confidence to continue learning in agropreneurship.”
The iTEKAD initiative forms part of Bank Negara Malaysia’s national platform leveraging zakat funds alongside waqaf contributions aimed at providing financial support as well as structured capability development nationwide.
