Pilot project at Astaka Bandar Perda offers free WiFi

(From second left) Rozali and Jagdeep launching the free WiFi for the pilot project.

A PILOT project for all-cashless transactions has been launched at Astaka Bandar Perda in Bukit Mertajam, Penang.

Seberang Prai City Council has even arranged for free WiFi connectivity for everyone to go cashless at the premises.

Mayor Datuk Rozali Mohamud said the council was cooperating with Mutiara Smart Sdn Bhd (MSSB) to provide the free WiFi to visitors at Astaka Bandar Perda.

“This is one of the efforts towards realising a cashless community, ” said Rozali at the launch.

The free connectivity can be accessed by 150 users at a time with a speed of 50 megabits per second with no usage limit.

Rozali said the council had made it mandatory for all traders in Astaka Bandar Perda to register and use Boost e-wallet services.

“The use of cashless transactions can provide various benefits to traders and consumers, including reducing physical contact,” he said.

The mayor said the council had begun encouraging traders in all markets and food complexes on mainland Penang to embrace e-wallets.

“We hope that with strategic cooperation, all business premises owned by the council will get free WiFi connections.”

Also present at the launch were Penang local government committee chairman Jagdeep Singh Deo, council acting secretary Baderul Amin Abdul Hamid, city councillor P. David Marshel, MSSB chief executive officer Adely Mahyuddin, and Boost head of Penang Eric Tan.

Jagdeep said that on top of reducing the risk of Covid-19 transmission, cashless transactions helped reduce the risk of traders receiving counterfeit money or damaged bills while shoppers would get cash-back incentives.