PayBillsMalaysia.com today officially welcomed Bumiputra Commerce Bank (BCB) channel-e.com.my into the Electronic Bill Presentment and Payment (EBPP) service.

PayBills Malaysia is the brand name for EBPP service and the payment gateway is hosted at www.paybillsmalaysia.com. Meanwhile, BCB is the latest bank and payment channel to join the list of financial institutions already listed with PayBillsMalaysia.com under the EBPP service.

SiliconNet Technologies Sdn Bhd (SNT), a wholly owned internet business arm of Sarawak Information Systems Sdn Bhd (SAINS), developed and launched the EBPP hosting service in 2000.

Through PayBills Malaysia.com, consumers in Sarawak can now choose to pay their bills via BCB channel-e.com.my. These billers include Kuching Water Board (KWB), Sarawak Electricity Corporation (SESCo), Sibu Water Board (SWB) and many more.

PayBills Malaysia takes on the role of aggregating bills from multiple companies like providers of electricity, water, telecommunication, etc, onto one site thereby providing a one-stop web payment service for consumers. Consumers pay their household bills by using a personal computer connected to the Internet. Consumers can select and view their actual bills and authorised payment instructions to their financial institutions like BCB via www.channel-com.my. Funds are then transferred from their BCB account to the biller’s account within the bank.

To the service provider, this internet mode of payment lowers processing cost and improves cash flow. To the consumers, it saves time traveling to the bank and queuing at payment counters. Key features of the EBPP service now include electronic bill printing and filing, receipt printing and filing, and payment history record of 12 bills most recent bills paid. EBPP and Channel-e is available 24 hours and consumers can pay at their convenience in the comfort of their own home or office. Registered users of EBPP will get an email notification once their bills arrive and when BCB has processed their payment.

BCB Head of Retail Bank Sulaiman Tahir, at the launch today said the collaboration between BCB and the Sarawak state government supports the timely move towards more efficient, paperless transactions leveraging innovations in this digital age. Bill distribution, payment and proof-of payment receipts can now be linked seamlessly to critical digital data via Paybills and Channel-e.

He explained that Channel-e is BCB’s features-rich consumer banking portal. It enables individual customers to perform online banking transactions such as account balance enquiries, fund transfers, standing instructions and payment for loans, credit cards and bills.

“It offers a convenient and hassle-free way for customers to make their payments,” he added. Channel-e enables customers to manage their bill payments better while keeping important bill payment records safe, he stressed. Sulaiman also assured consumers on the Bank’s commitment to confidentiality and security at channel-e, backed by encryption technology and creditable security features.

Since its launch in 2000, the number of PayBills Malaysia users has increased steadily. With encouraging government policy and various ICT development programmes and infrastructures, participation from billers and payee corporations has grown. As of 2005, there are 57,000 registered users of PayBills Malaysia all over Sarawak.

Channel-e was launched in December 2001 and to-date it has more than 70,000 active users conducting over RM40 million transactions on a monthly basis. BCB has also tied-up with Tabung Haji, all local universities, Indah Water Konsortium, local councils, major telcos and other vendors to be the online payment service provider.

The launching was officiated by the Sarawak State Secretary, YB Datuk Amar Haji Abdul Aziz Dato Haji Husain, who is also the Deputy Chairman of SAINS. Representing BCB was Encik Sulaiman Tahir, Head of Retail Bank, BCB while PayBillsMalaysia.com was supported by SAINS’ Managing Director, Mr Teo Tien Hiong and SNT General Manager, Mr Teo Loon Tong.

About Bumiputra-Commerce Bank
Bumiputra-Commerce Bank (BCB) is the commercial banking arm of public-listed Commerce Asset-Holding Berhad, a diversified financial services group that is among the top ten in market capitalization in Bursa Malaysia. It is the choice bank to many multinational and local corporations, government organizations and individual Malaysians. The Bank has a large customer base of over 4.2 million and total assets of RM82.9 billion.

BCB is a one-stop financial institution that offers a comprehensive range of consumer banking services delivered through a country-wide network of over 270 branches and outlets as well as more than 800 ATMs nationwide. BCB’s customers can access its services via robust electronic banking, phone banking and online banking channels. Awarded the "Top SMI Supporter Award" by CGC for 10 consecutive years, BCB is also a leading provider of business financing. BCB, the result of a 1999 merger between Bank of Commerce and Bank Bumiputra Malaysia, is currently involved in an integration exercise with its associate company, investment bank, CIMB. The integration will result in Malaysia's first universal bank. For more information about BCB, click: www.bcb.com.my.