HRDF AI Training for Financial Services Sector

This is a comprehensive, sector-specific guide explaining how Malaysian financial services institutions in 2026 can use HRDF (HRD Corp) funding to subsidize AI training while staying compliant with Bank Negara Malaysia and other regulators.

It covers:

• Why AI skills are now critical in banking, insurance, and FinTech (competition from digital banks, new BNM Responsible AI guidelines, rising customer expectations, fraud escalation, and cost pressure).
• HRDF subsidy structures and rates for financial services (group, individual, SBL-KHAS for SMEs, and Strategic Training Programs for large-scale rollouts), including typical subsidy percentages and caps.
• Five high-impact AI use cases tailored to Malaysian financial services, each with local context, real institutional examples, and indicative HRDF-claimable training:
  1. Credit scoring & loan underwriting (e.g., RHB’s faster approvals and lower defaults).
  2. Fraud detection & AML (e.g., Maybank’s reduced fraud losses and false positives, with Malaysia-specific scam patterns).
  3. Robo-advisory & wealth management (e.g., CIMB’s robo platform, SC Digital Investment Management compliance).
  4. Customer service chatbots & virtual assistants (e.g., Hong Leong’s “Mia” chatbot and multilingual requirements).
  5. Insurance underwriting & claims (e.g., Great Eastern’s faster approvals and improved NPS, plus takaful considerations).
• A detailed, week-by-week operational process for claiming HRDF:
  • Before training: verify HRDF registration and levy balance, conduct a Training Needs Analysis, select HRDF-registered providers, and submit SBL applications (Tier 1 for AI/digital skills).
  • During training: maintain strict attendance and documentation, keep materials and assessments, and secure completion certificates with HRDF course IDs.
  • After training: compile and submit all required claim documents via the HRD Corp portal within 3 months, then track status until reimbursement.
• Common HRDF pitfalls for financial institutions and how to avoid them, including:
  • Training ineligible participants (expats, contractors, mixed cohorts).
  • Misaligned course topics (not clearly related to financial services operations).
  • Poor attendance records, late submissions, and mixing personal development with job-related training.
• A catalogue of financial-services-specific AI training programs with target roles, content outlines, indicative fees, HRDF subsidy levels, and ROI examples for:
  • Retail banking.
  • Corporate/SME lending.
  • Investment banking & capital markets.
  • Insurance (life, general, takaful).
  • FinTech and digital banks.
• How Pertama Partners positions itself:
  • Deep Malaysian banking/insurance expertise and regulatory alignment (BNM, SC, PDPA, AML/CFT).
  • Customised, HRDF-claimable AI programs using client context and data.
  • End-to-end HRDF paperwork support and post-training implementation advisory.
• A concise FAQ addressing:
  • Overseas/Big Tech provider eligibility (only via HRDF-registered local partners).
  • Vendor implementation training claims.
  • Eligibility of contract staff and agents.
  • Why self-paced e-learning (Coursera/Udemy) is not HRDF-claimable.
  • Strategic Training Programs for 50+ participants.
  • How to prove ROI from AI training.
  • Resubmission options after claim rejection.

The guide ends with clear next steps (book a 60-minute advisory call, email, WhatsApp, and website links) and notes that HRDF rates and BNM regulations are current as of February 2026.