LOCALS, TRADERS IN YAN ENCOURAGED TO USE E-DUIT FOR SIMPLER FINANCIAL TRANSACTIONS

YAN, Nov 16 (Bernama) -- Residents and traders in the Yan district are encouraged to buy and sell using electronic or cashless payment methods, known as e-Duit, to facilitate daily financial transactions and make life easier and more convenient.

Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) deputy governor Datuk Marzunisham Omar said the call aligns with the increasing use of e-payments in Malaysia, which saw 11.5 billion transactions in 2023 compared to 9.3 billion in 2022, marking a 24 per cent increase.

“To raise awareness, build public confidence and further promote the use of e-payments, financial education programmes such as the e-Duit Desa initiative have been introduced since 2020 to help rural communities adopt e-payments in a Safe, Simple and Swift (3S) manner.

“I hope the e-Duit Desa initiative in Yan will serve as a catalyst for integrating e-payments into daily life in this district. I have also been informed that almost all departments and agencies in Kedah now offer e-payment platforms,” he said in his speech during the launch of the e-Duit Desa Yan programme today.

Also present were Kedah state secretary Datuk Seri Norizan Khazali and Yan district officer Maznim Ismail.

Marzunisham said although e-payments have transformed the way Malaysians perform daily financial transactions, making life more efficient, they could pose risks such as financial fraud if there are no proper safety practices

“We must remain vigilant to avoid becoming victims of online financial fraud or scams. I would like to urge the public to follow the Soal, Sekat and Sebar (Ask, Block and Share) approach to safeguard against financial scams.

“If someone still falls victim to financial fraud, they should immediately report the incident to the banking institution or the National Scam Response Centre via the 997 hotline. Prompt reporting can prevent stolen funds from being transferred out of the financial system, increasing the chances of recovering the stolen money,” he explained.

He added that BNM and the financial industry are committed to ensuring the financial system remains safe through ongoing enhancements of security features and awareness programmes to build public confidence to continue using e-payments.

-- BERNAMA