Cashless payments for utility bills

New mobile app enables Sarawakians to embrace e-wallet system

KUCHING: Being the first state in the country to embrace electronic wallets (e-wallet), Sarawakians can now make cashless payments for their utility bills and assessment rates using the new Sarawak Pay mobile app.

The app, which enables payment through e-wallet, credit card or online banking, is part of Sarawak's digital economy initiative.

Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg said Sarawak must embrace digital technology to transform the economy towards achieving developed status by 2030.

He added that new ways of doing business, including cashless transactions, had emerged in the last 10 years.

“In the next 13 years, we can expect the environment to keep changing. We don’t want to be left behind.

“E-wallet is going to be a new form of payment, so we are launching Sarawak Pay to embrace technology in our business transactions,” he said when launching the app at the State Legislative Assembly here yesterday.

The Sarawak Pay e-wallet is licensed under PaymentGalaxy Wallet and governed by Bank Negara.

For Sarawak Pay’s pilot rollout, Bank Negara only allows the e-wallet balance to be topped up to a maximum of RM200.

Next year, the state government will apply to expand the balance capacity to RM1,500.

Sarawak Pay has a “scan and pay” feature that facilitates payment by scanning the QR code on a bill or displayed by a retailer.

For now, the app can be used to pay Sarawak Energy and Kuching Water Board bills and assessment bills of all 26 local authorities. It can also be used at food and beverage outlets of Grand Margherita and Riverside Majestic hotels.

Next year, the state government will expand the “scan and pay” feature to all government agencies, other utility bills and local retailers.

More features, such as wallet transfer and standing instruction, will be introduced in the future.

The Sarawak Pay app can be downloaded from the Google Play Store or Apple App Store.