KUALA LUMPUR, 10 April 2009: The poor can now use their MyKad as a debit card under the welfare programme known as MyKasih.
The programme, which launched its electronic payment system today, will distribute cash to recipients’ bank accounts which are linked to their MyKad.
Those under the MyKasih programme can then shop and pay with their MyKad at selected retail outlets.
“At any point in the transaction, we can provide audit trails and analytical reports on demographics and consumption. This makes it easy for donors and MyKasih to track shopping patterns and fine-tune the system,” said Dialog Group Bhd’s chairperson and group managing director Ngau Boon Keat.
Ngau is a founder of the MyKasih programme.
“We invested around RM20 million in the system infrastructure and we hope other interested parties can utilise the system and promote the government’s initiative for a cashless society,” said ePetrol Systems Sdn Bhd’s chief operating officer Jeff Perera.
The electronic payment system was derived from a solution developed by ePetrol Holding Sdn Bhd for fuel subsidy management.
Speaking at the launch, Multimedia Development Corporation’s chief executive officer Datuk Badlisham Ghazali said using MyKad to distribute welfare funds was efficient, effective and more secure.
With the launch, another 40 families have been selected by local non-governmental organisations to join the programme.
Previously, 25 families took part in the pilot programme which began in Selayang in December last year, and RM10,000 was distributed through the programme.
It was funded by Dialog Group and launched with the support of Chevron (M) Ltd and the Caltex Selayang petrol station. — Bernama
