Malaysia’s advanced payment systems impress foreign visitors, sparking online discussions about the country’s progress beyond its developing nation label.

WHEN it comes to the topic of a nation’s progress, there is often more than meets the eye.

For example, although Malaysia has been labelled a “third-world country” by some “first-world” nations, it has progressed in ways that certain developed countries have not—particularly in the context of payment methods.

A Malaysian woman recently shared on Threads how her American husband was quite shocked by the idea of scanning a QR code as a form of payment during his first visit to Malaysia several years ago.

“He could not fathom the idea of transferring money instantly just by scanning a QR code using a phone,” she said.

Another example of Malaysia’s advancement in payment systems came during an incident in the United States, where the woman taught several Americans, including her husband, how to use an automated parking payment machine, as they “had not seen it before”.

“Me, coming from a so-called ‘third-world country’, had to show them how to use it,” she added.

The woman’s anecdotes gained traction online, with netizens sharing similar experiences while reflecting on Malaysia’s progress in payment systems despite its label as a developing nation.

“Moving to Malaysia a decade ago, I was shocked by how advanced things were, because travel and food programmes only showed the jungles of Borneo. It made me realise that the US was far behind for a ‘first-world’ country, to the point that I never wanted to go back,” one user shared.

“My US cards don’t have a one-time password (OTP), and only in recent years have they implemented the payWave system. A lot of Americans still use cheques to pay for things like groceries!” another remarked.

“When I’m in shopping malls, I notice many foreign tourists staring at Malaysians paying for things using QR codes. They are truly fascinated,” another commented.

 The Sun Malaysia