KUALA LUMPUR –Al Rajhi Banking & Investment Corporation (Malaysia) Bhd (alrajhi bank Malaysia) has partnered with Manulife Investment Management (M) Bhd to expand its shariah investment offering in line with its ambition to become the #1 Islamic innovation bank in Malaysia.

Under the partnership, the Bank will distribute Manulife Investment Management (M) Bhd’s Manulife Shariah Global REIT Fund (“the Fund”) which offers Shariah-compliant real estate investment opportunities locally and from across the globe. This is the first time alrajhi bank Malaysia is making Shariah REIT investment available to its customers.

The partnership gives alrajhi bank Malaysia customers access to global REIT for a broader range of property investments—in addition to the 14 Shariah-compliant unit trust funds available to them via the Bank now—including large-scale infrastructure projects typically off-limits to retail investors. The Manulife fund is available at all alrajhi bank Malaysia branches effective 3 March 2023.

Shariah global REITs combine features of real estate and trust funds and offers investors several benefits over other forms of investment, including the ability to diversify their risk profile with a range of real estate based on their risk appetite and financial goals. Investors also potentially receive a higher dividend distribution and enjoy stable and sustainable returns. Shariah global REITs have outperformed global REITs since 2010 (Morningstar & IdealRatings as of 31 December 2021).

Manulife Investment Management (M) Bhd, a wholly owned subsidiary of Manulife Holdings Bhd, has been operating in Malaysia for 14 years. Headquartered in Toronto, Canada, it operates in 19 geographies worldwide and provides comprehensive solutions for investors with its strong capabilities in the public and private markets backed by the resources of a global financial organisation.

alrajhi bank Malaysia Chief Executive Officer Arsalaan (Oz) Ahmed said, “We are confident that this partnership with Manulife Investment Management (M) Bhd will bear positive results for our customers.

With the global economy reopening post-Covid-19, we’ve seen a trend towards investments in infrastructure to support recovering industries and in new economies such as e- commerce and healthcare. This fund offers our customers potential for stable and growing dividends, long term investment growth opportunities and exposure to emerging global trends.

Our customers will now have the ability to grow their wealth to meet their financial goals through our continued expansion in product offerings”.

Manulife Investment Management (M) Bhd’s Chief Executive Officer Jason Chong said, “The partnership between Manulife Investment Management (M) Bhd and alrajhi bank Malaysia is timely as REITs have become a focal point in today’s economic landscape.

The backbone of the economic recovery story is the demand for infrastructure build-out, from data centers, warehouses to medical centers and retirement homes – which are areas of growth in face of the world’s aging population.

Global REITs can withstand different market conditions due to its lower correlation with other asset classes and can provide steady dividend yields. This feature is even more prevalent for investors in 2023, as heightened global inflation and ongoing geopolitical developments means markets will remain volatile.”

About Al Rajhi Banking & Investment Corporation (Malaysia) Bhd (alrajhi bank Malaysia)

alrajhi bank Malaysia, a wholly owned subsidiary of the world’s largest Islamic Bank, Al Rajhi Bank Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), was locally incorporated in October 2006. Following its official launch in 2007, alrajhi bank Malaysia became the first Saudi Arabian bank to start operating in Southeast Asia. It is part of a Shariah-compliant banking group that is instrumental in bridging the gap between modern financial demands and intrinsic values whilst spearheading numerous industry standards and development.

At alrajhi bank Malaysia, we believe the one thing that holds the world together as people of different nationalities, races, and cultures are values. Values define us, unite us, and garner trust from those we serve. Deeply rooted in Islamic banking principles and operating on the same platform as its home bank, alrajhi bank Malaysia was established on the bedrock values of:

• INTEGRITY AND TRANSPARENCY
• PASSION TO SERVE OUR CUSTOMERS
• MODESTY
• INNOVATIVENESS
• MERITOCRACY
• CARE FOR SOCIETY

alrajhi bank Malaysia continuously endeavours to expand its suite of products and services to meet the evolving financial needs of its customers by delivering innovative Shariah-compliant financial solutions across the retail, corporate, treasury, and investment segments. Today, alrajhi bank Malaysia operates through a distribution network of 13 branches nationwide. For further information about alrajhi bank Malaysia, please visit alrajhibank.com.my.

About Manulife Investment Management (M) Berhad

Manulife Investment Management (M) Berhad Registration No: 200801033087 (834424-U) (“Manulife IM (Malaysia)”) is a wholly owned subsidiary of Manulife Holdings Berhad (listed on Bursa Malaysia), which is majority owned by Canada-based Manulife Financial Corporation. Manulife IM (Malaysia) offers a comprehensive range of more than 60 unit trust and PRS funds in the asset classes of equity, fixed income and money market. Since 2010, Manulife IM (Malaysia) has received 68 awards in total; with the seven most significant house awards being won in 2023, 2017 & 2018, namely the Best Equity Fund Family Group Over Three Years, Malaysia, Best Bond Fund Family Group Over Three Years, Malaysia Provident Funds and Best Mixed Assets Fund Family Group Over Three Years, Malaysia Islamic Funds by The 2023 Refinitiv Lipper Fund Awards, Best Overall Award Malaysia Provident for

EPF-Approved Funds by The Edge | Thomson Reuters Lipper Fund Awards 2017, the Most Outstanding Islamic Asset Management Company by KLIFF Islamic Finance Awards 2017, Top Investment House Malaysia – Rank 5 in Asian Local Currency Bonds by The Asset Benchmark Research Awards 2017 and the Best Group Over 3 Years – Mixed Assets by Thomson Reuters Lipper Global Islamic Fund Award 2018. Visit us online at manulifeim.com.my.

The awards herein are granted by Refinitiv Lipper, Thomson Reuters, Kuala Lumpur Islamic Finance Forum, and The Asset with whom Manulife IM (Malaysia) is not related to.