‘Collaboration with UnionPay set to boost Sarawak Pay’s presence in global market’

0

Datuk Sim Kiang Chiok

KUCHING: The collaboration between Sarawak and UnionPay should help leapfrog the state’s e-wallet app Sarawak Pay into being accepted in the global market, said Datuk Sim Kiang Chiok.

The Sarawak Housing Estate Developers Association (Sheda) Kuching branch chairman said following this collaboration, it would help the users save time and cost in handling payments and other business transactions.

“Cashless transactions help reduce crimes and also provide convenience – it’s also a healthier practice especially during this Covid-19 pandemic where physical contact through currency notes should be reduced,” he said in a statement yesterday.

According to Sim, Sarawak Pay is highly accepted and appreciated in Malaysia because it does not charge any fee to the users and the merchants.

“It even provides cashbacks to the users.

“This is a very attractive feature that helps users and merchants reduce costs. We hope that this feature would be maintained to keep other e-payment systems competitive.”

Sim said the proposed increased limit to 1,000 euros would further promote Sarawak Pay as an international cashless payment application.

He believed that with the increased limit, users would not have to bring lots of cash when travelling as they could opt for digital payment.

“Sarawak Pay has shown its prestige in that it is able to collaborate with the world’s largest e-payment network.

“This will provide the ease in doing business from Sarawak and Malaysia to China and the world. We can now pay (and) receive money easily, even in the island of Borneo,” he said, acknowledging UnionPay as an association for China’s banking card industry, operating under the approval of the People’s Bank of China, and is regarded as the largest card (debit and credit combined) payment organisation in the world offering mobile and online payments.

On Thursday, Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg announced that Bank Negara had approved Sarawak Pay’s plan to collaborate with UnionPay.

“I would like to express my appreciation to Bank Negara for approving the integration between UnionPay and Sarawak Pay on the international platform, which is historic to both Sarawak and UnionPay,” Abang Johari was quoted as having said.