DBS eyes Malaysian bank stakes in expansion push, say sources

The Republic's biggest lender, DBS Bank, is exploring expanding into Malaysia with potential acquisitions of stakes in banks in its South-east Asian neighbour, including in one of Malaysia's smallest banks by assets, two sources said.

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DBS is exploring a purchase of Singapore's investment company Temasek's 29.1 per cent stake in Alliance Bank Malaysia, said the two sources with knowledge of the matter, a slice currently valued at about US$460 million (S$611 million).

Temasek is the biggest shareholder in DBS, with a 28.9 per cent stake, according to LSEG data.

Other options for expanding into Malaysia include buying Kuwait Finance House's Malaysian retail banking assets, worth more than US$500 million and which have been put up for sale, one of the sources said.

Deliberations are in very early stages, however, the sources said, and any formal negotiations for an acquisition of a stake in a Malaysian bank would need approval from the Malaysian central bank, or Bank Negara Malaysia.

The two sources declined to be named as talks on the possible acquisitions were confidential.