The Payments Network Malaysia Sdn Bhd (PayNet) recently confirmed that a transaction fee would be imposed on vendors for payments received through the DuitNow QR platform and transactions conducted with credit cards, effective November 1, 2023.
This sparked debate among Malaysians who criticised the move and said it could burden low-income groups and make them feel marginalised.
However, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said that imposing a transaction fee for payments made via DuitNow QR and transactions conducted with credit cards will not burden the low-income group in the country.
Anwar, who is also the finance minister, said he had met Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) Governor Datuk Shaik Abdul Rasheed Abdul Ghaffour to get clarification on the matter.
“I discussed with the BNM governor yesterday. According to him, it (transaction fee) will not be imposed on the lower group. What is important is that it will not burden the low-income group,” he told reporters.
When asked about MCA president Datuk Seri Wee Ka Siong’s suggestion that the transaction fee be abolished, Anwar said this matter should be handled by BNM.
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