GEORGE TOWN: Penang is targeting 100 per cent cashless transactions at all state government revenue collection departments and agencies by 2030.
Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said, currently, the state had achieved 72 per cent cashless transactions.
"To continue with the digital transformation agenda, the state government will intensify efforts to introduce cashless payment initiatives soon in various places.
"The implementation of the e-payment services will increase the state government's revenue collection and serve as a catalyst to the state's economic development," he said at the launch of the Cashless Day campaign for state government departments and agencies in Komtar here today.
Present were state Local and Housing Committee chairman Jagdeep Singh Deo and State Secretary Datuk Mohd Sayuthi Bakar.
Chow also hoped for cooperation from all parties to support the cashless payment initiative to increase the competitiveness to turn Penang into a smart state.
"The Penang government has even set up the Digital Penang Corporation which will help promote the economic digitalisation process in the state," he added.
Speaking at a press conference later, Chow said, by right, there was no need to wait until 2030 to go cashless.
"The state can think of many creative and innovative ways to encourage cashless transactions to be achieved even earlier," he said.
Penang started the pilot cashless payment transaction back in April 2020 at the Taman Tun Sardon public market, as a way to restrict contact following the Covid-19 pandemic.
Following the success, the state government implemented a policy whereby all 23 state government revenue collection departments and agencies used at least one cashless service as a medium to collect revenue.
"From Jan 1 until Nov 30 last year, all state government revenue collection departments and agencies had recorded 2,110,566 transactions amounting to RM620,157,685.04, which is 50.16 per cent of the total revenue collected," he said.