Applying for a Bank Account in Malaysia 2026: How to Write a Recommendation Letter for Opening a Bank Account?

Can foreigners open a bank account in Malaysia?What information is needed?

To prevent money laundering, domestic banks in Malaysia require proof of employment for customers wishing to open new bank accounts.

• Only customers who can show proof of work can successfully open a bank account.
• Banks only allow people with regular jobs to open bank accounts;
• Freelancers (self-employed) face many obstacles when opening a bank account.

When clients request to open a bank account, they can bring an Employment Confirmation Letter or a salary slip for the past 3 months.

• Not only that, but some banks will require you to open an account at a branch near your workplace.
• These applications may also be rejected if you work in Subang Jaya but open an account in Ampang.

Chinese living in Malaysia say that Maybank has higher requirements for opening new accounts, while RHB Bank and CIMB Bank make it easier to open new accounts.

How to write a recommendation letter for opening a bank account?

If opening a Maybank bank account in Malaysia, how to write a letter stating that you work for this company?

First, you must be employed (freelancers cannot open an account).

You tell your boss: I want to open a bank account, such as Hong Leong Bank or Maybank, and ask the company to write me a letter of recommendation.

Bank account opening in Malaysia, company recommendation letter for reference

The following is a reference example of a company recommendation letter to open a bank account in Malaysia ▼

The Manager

Hong Leong Bank Berhad,
XXX Branch.

Dear Sir/Madam,

This is to confirm that Mr. XX XXX XXX (NEW IC No. xxxxxxx) is employed by our company, XXXX Co. Ltd., as XXXX (什么职位).

He needs to open a savings account at your branch to facilitate the remittance of his monthly salary.

Thank you for your kind cooperation.

Yours sincerely

XXXXXX

Company contact number : XXX-XXXXXXXX

• Please revise the information in the above reference letter according to your own situation.

📌Further Reading

If you need to make or receive cross-border remittances or payments after opening a bank account in Malaysia, the Wise multi-currency account is a very practical option. It supports multiple currencies such as RMB, USD, and MYR, with transparent transaction fees and fast fund transfers.