DuitNow QR fee to be discussed on Tuesday - deputy minister

The imposition of a transaction fee for payments made via DuitNow QR will be discussed in a special meeting of the National Action Council on Cost of Living (NACCOL) this Tuesday, said Fuziah Salleh.

The Deputy Minister of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living said the meeting, which will be chaired by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, will be attended by representatives of Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM), as the regulator of the country’s banking sector.

“Some 1.874 million people use the DuitNow QR platform (for cashless transactions).

“If nearly 1.9 million people use DuitNow, how much money does the bank make? We (the ministry) are afraid users will be affected,” she told reporters after officiating the Malacca-level Rahmah Sales programme today.

Also present at today’s event were the Malacca state executive councillor for Entrepreneur, Cooperative Development and Consumer Affairs Allex Seah Shoo Chin, as well as Malacca Domestic Trade and Living Costs Ministry director Norena Jaafar.

Fuziah (above) also expressed concern that the imposition of the transaction fee would impede the implementation of the country’s digitalisation programmes as outlined under the 12th Malaysia Plan.

She said her ministry previously implemented the Retail Sector Digitalisation Initiative (ReDI) programme to help small entrepreneurs make digital payment methods more accessible to consumers.

“We are worried the transaction fee will have a negative impact on these (micro and small) traders and consumers,” she said.

Meanwhile, Fuziah said the public can get supplies of local rice at the Agro Madani Sales programme and subsidised imported rice through the Rahmah Sales programme.

She said information about the locations of the sales programmes can be obtained on the websites of the Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Minister as well as the Federal Agricultural Marketing Authority (Fama).

- Bernama

Amanah Youth joins call to stop DuitNow transaction fees

Small businesses to continue enjoying zero-cost DuitNow transactions: BNM

Anwar: DuitNow QR payment transaction fee will not burden B40

Maybank says no DuitNow charges on merchants