BY NEVILLE TIMOTHY SANDERS & AMYLY YONG
KUCHING: Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Dr Sim Kui Hian said more than 85 per cent of eligible Sarawakians have successfully registered for the Sumbangan Asas Keperluan Sarawak (SKAS).
He said the registration reflects strong public acceptance of the state’s digital transformation.
“I know that SKAS had faced some minor issues but the high registration rate demonstrates Sarawakian willingness to adapt to digital initiatives.
“This means that payments and transactions can now be done via mobile phones,” he opined..
“Just like S Pay Global, which took time for people to adopt, now even older generations like our uncles and aunties are learning to use it.
“They never had S Pay Global before, but now they do, and we are all learning together.”
He said this after officiating at the launching of two new courses (Bachelor of Data Science and Bachelor of Cyber Security) by Swinburne University of Technology Sarawak Campus here on Wednesday.
Many countries, particularly China, are moving away from cash transactions, with mobile payments with even facial recognition technology becoming the norm, he said.
“We cannot insist on cash-only transactions anymore. By 2030, we hope fewer people will still rely on cash.
“Instead, Sarawak should fully embrace big data, digitalisation, and smart technology in line with our 2030 aspirations for a digital Sarawak,” he added.
SKAS, introduced under the Sarawak’s Budget 2025, provides financial aid of RM800 for households, RM250 for single individuals, and RM400 for elderly individuals without a spouse.
The Sarawak government has allocated over RM460 million for the initiative, benefiting an estimated 886,288 recipients across the state.
The SKAS assistance has been made exclusively through the e-wallet application, S Pay Global, to ensure proper use of the aid.
