By Karen Bong
KUCHING, March 4: SarawakPay e-wallet has been upgraded and can now be used for payment overseas where the UnionPay QR code is accepted.
Launching the new feature of UnionPay Virtual Card on SarawakPay, Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg was delighted that the locally grown e-wallet can now be used for seamless cashless payment transaction internationally.
“We have completed the integration work with UnionPay and I would like to thank UnionPay for collaborating with us.
“The success in this collaborative effort for both parties is the result of MOU (Memorandum of Understanding) signed with UnionPay during my visit to China in April of 2019,” he said during the virtual launching of UnionPay Virtual Card on Sarawak Pay at Wisma Bapa Malaysia here today.
The launch of UnionPay Virtual Card was another milestone achieved in the pursuit of digitalising Sarawak.
“Sarawak started early in 2017 towards digitalising its economy, ahead of all the other states and even the nation as a whole.
“Based on current trends, Sarawak has been setting itself in the right direction towards digitalisation, and our Malaysian Prime Minister’s (Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin) recent speech on digitalisation at the national front only seeks to endorse Sarawak’s approach as correct all along,” he added.
With close to RM1 billion transacted on Sarawak Pay, Abang Johari was optimistic to see further growth of Sarawak Pay with this UnionPay partnership.
Sarawak Pay now has 496,000 users and has close to 70,000 participating merchants in Sarawak.
Abang Johari also expressed appreciation to Bank Negara for approving the integration between UnionPay and SarawakPay on the international platform that was historic to both Sarawak and UnionPay.
“Certainly, what we have today will further strengthen the digital economy agenda. This integration will further enhance the economy of Sarawak particularly in the area of tourism as you can make use of SarawakPay with collaboration with UnionPay to pay anything wherever you are in Sarawak and in the world,” he added.
Sain’s chairman Datuk Patinggi Dr George Chan, Deputy State Secretary (Performance and Service Delivery Transformation), SiliconNet Technologies Sdn Bhd chairman Tan Sri Abdul Azia Hussain, China UnionPay president and UnionPay International chairman Cai Jianbo (joining from Shanghai) and State Economic Planning Unit director Dr Muhammad Abdullah Zaidel were among those present. – DayakDaily
