Where is HSBC? I once recalled a promoter told me in Midvalley that their HSBC is the highest number of users even more than Maybank LOL..i was amused by her statement...i was wondering i was already signing up card with her...do she need to make this statement LOL

A photocopy of IC + 2 months of pay slips, shouldn't be a big issue for you, right? A lesson - do not apply for CCs, MBB in particular, from unknown sales agents.
It is basically not a problem at all, using CCs issued by Malaysian local banks in overseas. In these recent 2 years for instance, I had swiped Alliance, HLB and DA CCs in China, India, UAE, Bahrain, UK, Belgium, Netherland, Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia and Vietnam. The only exemption being rejection on DA in 2 different occations (different years) in Thailand. But these actually happened a few years back.

Unfortunately this also happened in the developed countries such Australia. And very often you will see a note written minimum $10 alongside the VISA/Mastercard logo. In fact VISA and Mastercard International do not allow its merchant to have minimum charge at all for accepting VISA/Mastercard 

- Microcredit & along will be popular option rather than cc balance transfer

Why do you prefer Credit Card over Debit Card? Better benefits?
For me, the whole exercise of cutting down the number of CC I have and switching to DC is to minimize the RM50 service charge.

Even without the service tax issue I will cancel this card coz I don't tolerate bad customer service. Imagine you had to call them from overseas ? The long wait will burn a hole in your pocket due to call charges alone.

Some banks are too ego to admit weaknesses. They just want to create a feel-good factor to lure customers. Customers nowadays are immune to this kind of news.