LETTERS: During my visit to Kuala Lumpur, Ipoh and Penang recently, I was curious to observe at close range Malaysia's digital progression and compare this with India's cashless transactions where mobile payment systems like the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) allow users to send and receive money between bank accounts in real-time.
Malaysia's Internet penetration data shows 97.4 per cent of the population has Internet access as of January 2024 with an Internet speed for fixed broadband averaging 100.57 Mbit/s.
Thus, it was amusing, therefore, to see my taxi driver use a fly-swat with an attached 'Touch 'N Go card', hand extended out of the window, to pay the toll.
Though India's Internet penetration is a mere 52 per cent, users cross toll booths without stopping by displaying a tag number on their vehicle's windscreen, leaving it to RFID technology to deduct appropriate toll charges from the FASTag wallet.
Securing a Malaysian visa got me to experience an e-governance initiative showcasing digitised government services. All visitors need to file an online Malaysia Digital Arrival Card (MDAC) which I filed from the comfort of my house in India.
On arriving at Kuala Lumpur, backed up with a pre-filled MDAC card, an Immigration officer allowed me to breeze through with a "travel pass" in precisely two minutes.
Getting to KL's city centre showcased the convenience of cashless travel in Malaysia. A 10 per cent discount on KLIA Ekspres tickets when purchased online through the app and website encouraged cashless purchases, and the QR code on the ticket allowed me to pass through the turnpike at the station.
WiFi access, like on other Intercity Electric Train Services (ETS), felt hi-tech with the QR Code on the ticket permitting entry onto the platform within a 30-minute departure window and ensuring platforms remained crowd-free.
Staying in city centre hotels did not feel dull and disconnected from the rest of the world. The hotel room was fitted with modern conveniences, ergonomic work desks, LED TVs with satellite channels and high-speed Internet WiFi access.
Technology was seamlessly intertwined with daily life making mundane everyday things feel efficient and enjoyable, alive to the hum of technology. Malaysian investment in digital infrastructure, broadband connectivity and 5G technology has considerably improved Internet access by expanding public WiFi zones to increase Internet accessibility.
Using Internet of Things (IoT) devices and data analytics, the Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC) drives the digital economy and supports tech startups.
Travel within cities through e-hailing apps like 'Grab' made the travel experience around Kuala Lumpur, Ipoh and Penang so much easier. Gone were the days of negotiating fares, language barriers, having the correct change, and wrong turnings with 'Grab' available at the drop of a hat.
Paying the Grab driver required cash because I couldn't use the QR-based Unified Payments Interface (UPI), as I would in India since my phone wasn't linked to its Malaysian equivalent, ' PayNet'.
I experienced two occasions when cashless transactions were mandatory. Hopping from Butterworth to Penang Island, the most romantic, cost-effective and evocative way was to use a ferry, but the ticket office didn't accept cash, only credit cards and e-payments being permissible.
Caught off guard, I persuaded the person behind me to buy my ticket, paying him the fare in cash. Entry to the ferry boarding point required scanning a QR code at the gate into a waiting area with free WiFi, laptop stations and power points.
The other occasion was at a fast food restaurant at Pavilion KL, a premier shopping destination. Overall, Malaysia's digital sector is definitely on the right development track.
But vigilance is crucial. Malaysia is free of India's latest new disturbing cyber scam, a "Digital Arrest" racket, where criminals impersonate law enforcement officials and intimidate individuals into parting with their savings. This scam has defrauded Indians of a massive US$14 million in the first quarter of 2024!
PRIYAN R. NAIK
Bengaluru, India
The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect those of the New Straits Times