No more RM200 hold for ATM and debit cards at Petron pumps
Yes, like you, we at TG are also annoyed with some of the unusual quirks of today’s cashless shopping processes. One of the biggest banes for motorists today has to be the RM200 block requirement when purchasing fuel at the pumps using your debit or ATM cards.
This is rather taxing, especially amongst the many small-capacity (sub-250cc) motorcyclists present on our roads today – this humble writer included – who, on average, won’t need more than RM10 with each full fill-up. Spend RM10 and get a further RM190 ‘lost’ for a few days? Now that’s extremely inconvenient.
Well, if Petron Malaysia’s recent announcement is anything to go by, this annoyance is now a thing of the past in its stations nationwide. Petron claims that they are the first in the market to accept MyDebit and ATM cards at their petrol pumps WITHOUT the RM200 block requirement in play.
The announcement was made recently together with collaborators Payments Network Malaysia Sdn Bhd (“PayNet”) at the Petron Bandar Baru Kulim station where Petron also launched its latest “FUEL-YoooH! MyDebit Je with your ATM Card!” consumer campaign.
“In a move to support a cashless society, all Petron customers can now experience an even easier, faster, more seamless and convenient payment process using their ATM cards at the fuel pumps,” said Faridah Ali, Petron Malaysia’s general manager regarding move.
“When a petrol chain accepts MyDebit payments, consumers can select the amount of fuelthey wish to purchase and only that amount is blocked during fuelling. If consumers refuel less than the amount selected at the start, all excess amounts are credited back to their bank accounts immediately after fuelling is done,” clarified Peter Schiesser, Group CEO of PayNet – the operator of the MyDebit card scheme.
Scheisser also adds that with 42 million ATM cards in circulation; virtually every customer carries an ATM card that they can use to pay for their fuel purchases.
So, what do you think? Has Petron done right with this RM200 block process waived? Or have you found it easier through other alternatives such as e-wallets like Boost or Setel?
