MALAYSIAN INTERNET USERS LEAD THE WAY IN PAYING BILLS ONLINE IN ASIA

KUALA LUMPUR, April 19 (Bernama) -- Malaysian internet users choose to pay
their bills online over cash or cheques, according to a survey.

The study involving 3,156 internet users in six countries in Asia Pacific
reveals that Malaysian internet users spent the highest monthly average on
paying bills online over the period of a year.

Visa, a global payments technology company, said they spent an average of
RM306 (US$1=RM3.02) per month, much higher than the regional average of RM224.

This was followed by respondents from Indonesia, with a month average of
RM266, and mainland China with RM244, it said in a statement Tuesday.

It said the most common types of bills paid online in the past six months by
Malaysian respondents were for internet access, utilities, mobile phone service
and payment card bills.

"The fact that Malaysian internet users recorded the highest average amount
of monthly bills paid online tells us that many Malaysian are very comfortable
transacting electronically," said Visa Malaysia country manager Stuart
Tomlinson.

"The high internet literacy levels among the Malaysian population coupled
with good internet infrastructure and services in the country bodes well for the
nation's IT growth," he added.