KUCHING: SarawakPay, a cashless mobile payment solution implemented by the state government to empower Sarawak’s digital economy agenda, is now officially launched. Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg launched the electronic wallet (e-wallet), licensed under PaymentGalaxy Wallet and governed by Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) at the State Legislative Assembly Complex here today. Apart from e-wallet, SarawakPay also enables payment by way of credit card and Internet banking. SarawakPay is not only the first e-wallet in the state government but also the first of its kind implemented in the country by a state government. The SarawakPay e-wallet can be topped up through Internet banking or credit card. For the first phase of the pilot rollout, BNM only allows a maximum of RM200 for each top-up. However, the state government will apply to BNM to expand the balance capacity up to a maximum of RM1,500 next year. SarawakPay has a ‘Scan & Pay’ feature that allows each payment to be initiated by scanning the QR code on a biller’s bill or scanning the QR code displayed by the Sarawak Economic Development Corporation (SEDC) hotels. The feature will be deployed for payments of monthly consumption bills of Sarawak Energy and Kuching Water Board, all 26 local councils assessment bills as well as 10 outlets of Grand Margherita Hotel and 14 outlets of Riverside Majestic Hotel. At the launch, Abang Johari said the state government’s digital effort was not to show that Sarawak has become technology-savvy but aimed at meeting the aspirations of young Sarawakians and the general community at large. “The future is for the young people and we are doing this not for us but for the young to be able to embrace the global economy,” he said. Abang Johari added that the state had no option but to embrace technology in its efforts to develop Sarawak and “give a better future for Sarawakians”. The SarawakPay app can be downloaded from Google Play and App Store.