Recently I saw a TV commercial on Debit Mastercard. Would like be the same as Mastercard Electronic?

Some did mention that but I don't have no idea on how to use that debit function.

How much is the charge?

How about in Jusco? It is used in ATM or debit card mode?

AmBank expects 200,000 new credit card users

KUALA LUMPUR: AmBank (M) Bhd targets to secure about 200,000 new credit card users within one year for its newly launched AmBank NexG-iTalk Prepaid Mastercard, the first telco co-branded prepaid card with its partner, Telekom Malaysia Bhd ™.

According to AmBank (M) Bhd, managing director of retail banking, Mohamed Azmi Mahmood, the NexG-iTalk Prepaid Mastercard's competive advantage was its dual-functionality as a secure, chip-based credit card as well as a prepaid calling card with iTalk functionality.

"This alliance between two giants in our respective industries will bring much mutual benefit to all stakeholders and customers. With this launch, both AmBank and TM customers will now enjoy a wider range of features in a single card that can be used for payment and for making calls at low rates.

"Cardholders are also rewarded for their usage simultaneously by AmBonus, TM and RealRewards loyalty programmes," he told reporters after the launch on Monday.

AmBank and state-owned phone company TM had recently joined forces to boost each other's card business. The NexG-iTalk Prepaid Mastercard is the first fruit of the strategic collaboration.

According to TM, chief operating officer, TM Retail, Malaysia Business, Datuk Adnan Rofiee, iTalk is TM's prepaid calling card service which uses Voice-over-Internet Protocol (VoIP) and could be used on any mobile or fixed telephone service. "The NexG-iTalk Prepaid Mastercard offers compelling features, including iTalk's low international call rates, flexibility in reloading, wide acceptance and also for dial-up Internet access," he said, adding that there was a possibility of AmBank having co-branded cards with TM's subsidiary Celcom (M) Bhd.

URL: http://biz.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?f...02&sec=business

Is this a Visa Electron card or what?

But sounded to me that it works like a Visa Electron.

If it's a real Visa, what's the difference from a Visa Credit Card? Except that it's deducting directly from your saving/current accout. Does it work on a Visa (not Visa Electron) terminal as well?

You're referring to those ancient swipe machines right? Very manual and not connected to the phone line.

How about those branch that offers Daily Banking like at Pavilion? Limited transaction too?

Same goes to me. Never debit card after got my credit card.

I'll go for Maybank Visa Debit since it has no annual fee and it's a truly Visa.

The Visa holographic emblem?

From my observation, the holographic Visa emblem appears to be at:

Front of the card: MBB Visa Classic with Wave
Back of the card: CIMB DA Gold, MBB Petronas Visa Gold.

I think it's doesn't matter where it's located as long as it's there.

Some Gold Card doesn't put the holographic emblem at the front of the card. For instance, CIMB DA and MBB Petronas Visa.

I'm not sure about the international recognition since I have no chance to use them at overseas.

RHB to issue new debit cards
Bank targets 200,000 customers in 12 months

KUALA LUMPUR: RHB Bank Bhd targets 200,000 customers to take up its newly-launched debit cards - RHB Cash-Connect and Islamic My Cash-i debit MasterCard - in the next 12 months.

Head of retail Renzo Viegas said it expected 50% of its ATM cardholders from 1.7 million current and savings account holders to renew or switch to debit cards in the next two to three years.

“We are committed to assisting the local community migrate to electronic payment and hope to be among the top three players in electronic banking within a year,” he said after the launch of the cards yesterday.

RHB Cash-Connect and My Cash-i debit MasterCard are the world’s first multi-application cards that carry the mc2 design, a patent design issued to non-MasterCard cards on the MasterCard brand.

MasterCard Asia Pacific Pte Ltd vice president and senior country manager for Malaysia and Brunei, Jim Cheah said active ATM card users comprise at least 18% of the more than 15 million ATM cardholders in Malaysia.

“Replacement of ‘cash handling’ would not only provide convenience to consumers but will also help banks and merchants reduce cash-handling cost,” he said.

With a deposit of RM100 and an annual fee of RM15, RHB debit MasterCard holders would have access to more than 26 million retail outlets worldwide. RHB debit MasterCard cards would also give card holders a 0.5% cash rebate on purchases, said Cheah.

Meanwhile, Viegas said loan growth for the retail sector was higher at 3.5% for the first seven months of this year, against 2% for the whole of last year.

He also said RHB expected the economy to be “very challenging” in next four to six months even if non-preforming loans were currently in downtrend and the industry was doing relatively well.

URL: http://biz.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?f...09&sec=business

MasterCard upbeat on debit card

It issues more debit than credit cards

Kuala Lumpur: Debit cards are fast gaining acceptance in Malaysia, said MasterCard vice president and senior country manager (Malaysia and Brunei) Jim Cheah.

He said the issuance of MasterCard debit cards in the first six months of this year surpassed that for credit cards.

“The usage of debit cards has been steadily increasing over the past few months as it is cashless, efficient and convenient,” he said at a briefing yesterday.

Debit card transaction volume had surpassed credit card transactions in markets like Australia, the US, Taiwan and parts of Europe, Cheah said.

For the nine months ended Sept 30, MasterCard worldwide recorded a US$6.8 trillion worth of debit card transactions and gross dollar volume of US$554bil.

Cheah said a debit card was more convenient and secure than carrying cash, offered better financial control to the cardholder and was accepted worldwide.

“A MasterCard debit card is accepted anywhere where a credit card is accepted. MasterCard has more than 28 million global acceptance locations,” he said, adding that there were more than 100,000 merchants locally that accepted both MasterCard debit and credit cards.

Currently, six banks are issuing MasterCard debit cards locally. Cheah said the card could be used at automated teller machines for cash and transfers.

To a question, Cheah said consumers were becoming more cautious in their spending. However, he said consumer spending for the Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa regions charted double-digit growth for the first half of this year.

On delinquencies, he said: “We have a pretty healthy credit card industry in Malaysia.

“Malaysians are not heavy borrowers. I do not think our non-performing loan ratio is spiking.”

URL: http://biz.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?f...82&sec=business

Maybankard Visa Debit exceed 1 million cards in issue

URL: http://www.maybank2u.com.my/mbb_info/m2u/p...d=/mbb/Personal

Which design is worse? The cherry card from MBB or PB VE?

Maybank targets 2 million debit cards

URL: http://biz.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?f...23&sec=business

I believe that is just a sample or prototype.