This article first appeared in The Edge Malaysia Weekly on August 24, 2026 - August 30, 2026

The Sessions Court in Kuala Lumpur made the right call last week in allowing the media to name UBB Investment Bank Ltd in reports on its former CEO, who was charged with cheating.

UBB’s ex-CEO, Razlan Raghazli, was charged on Aug 19 with cheating a senior executive of UBB Amanah Bhd into releasing RM139.89 million to an education company, allegedly through misrepresentation of legal advice.

UBB had applied to judge Azura Alwi to have its name omitted from media reports, arguing that publication could cause panic among the bank’s investors and affect its stability. However, Azura rejected the application on the grounds that the matter was of public interest.

“The public has a right to know. There is no such thing; the application is denied,” Azura was reported to have said. UBB then moved swiftly moved to reassure its stakeholders — via a memorandum sighted by The Edge — that its clients’ interests remain protected and its business operations are unaffected.

Credit should go to Azura for denying the application. Why should UBB — a Labuan-licensed investment bank that is part of UBB Amanah Group — be given an exemption from being named?

Banks and investment banks occupy a position of trust. They handle other people’s money, operate under extensive regulation and are subject to strong scrutiny precisely because confidence in the financial system matters.

Hence, when a former top official faces a charge of cheating — and involving no small sum — the public and the bank’s stakeholders have a legitimate interest in knowing which organisation is involved. Concealing the bank’s identity would risk fuelling speculation rather than preventing it.

The court’s decision reinforces a simple principle: when an issue is in the public interest, the public has a right to know.

Save by subscribing to us for your print and/or digital copy.

P/S: The Edge is also available on Apple's App Store and Android's Google Play.