Bank Employees Perceptions on Islamic Banking Acceptance

Abstract

This research was conducted to investigate bank employee perceptions on Islamic banking acceptance. The questionnaires were distributed to bank employee at Maybank Islamic Wangsa Maju (Islamic bank) and Maybank Setapak (Islamic window) Kuala Lumpur. Interestingly, few of the bank employees possessed a relevant academic background or relevant experience in banking on this career. The bank employee also claimed that they had very limited knowledge in this area prior to working with the banks; thus, the issue of the availability of well-trained and skilled employees must be addressed critically by the government, industry players and educationists for the sustainable growth of Islamic banking in Malaysia, and to meet the target set for the year 2011.

Keywords: Bank Employees perceptions, Islamic Banking, Product & Service, Training & Experience

1.0 INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of study

In 1970, Islamic banking was almost unknown and considered to be wishful thinking. By the early years of the twenty-first century, however, Islamic banking the deniable truth has emerged, for it is growing at a steady pace. The size of the industry, which amounted to a few hundred thousand dollars in 1975, had reached billions of dollars by 2004. The value of Shari’ah-compliant accounts worldwide is estimated between US$200 billion and US$500 billion and is growing at an average annual rate of 10-15 per cent. It is predicted that Islamic banks will control around 40-50 per cent of Muslims’ savings by 2009/10, for the population of Muslims in the world in 2006 has been calculated to be more than 1.2 billion (Zaher and Hassan, 2001).

The establishment of Islamic banks is associated with the Islamic revolution and the escalating awareness of Muslim society in embracing Islam as its way of life, in the fields