The Sabah state government has urged businesses and the public to opt for e-wallet payments in their day-to-day lives. This is to help with the nation’s bid in curbing the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic.

“One of the concerns is the spread of the virus through cash. Going cashless is definitely top of the agenda for the state government because just by going cashless, people would not need to hold cash and will not be exposed to the virus,” said the assistant minister of the Sabah chief minister, Datuk Jimmy Wong. The World Health Organisation (WHO) had previously said that the use of banknotes could contribute to the spread of the disease.

Additionally, going cashless means that people are less likely to be exposed to the coronavirus while queueing up at automated teller machines (ATMs). It also has the added benefit of reducing the possibilities of theft.

Wong further called on e-wallet providers to encourage more business users to adopt the cashless payment method. He also appealed to hawkers and stall operators at wet markets in Sabah to make e-wallets a part of their business norms.

The Sabah state government’s shift towards e-wallets is reflected in the launch of its own state e-wallet, Sabah Pay, just two months ago. Developed and managed by the Sabah Credit Corporation (SCC), it is powered by Boost. The state e-wallet, which was initially greenlit in October 2019, allows the public to make cashless payments at various government departments, public service agencies, and commercial entities.

(Source: Daily Express, The Star)

• TAGS:
• Cashless Payments
• Datuk Jimmy Wong
• E-Wallets
• Sabah
• Sabah Pay
• WHO
• World Health Organisation