Congratulations: Prof Azlinda (fourth from left) with representatives of UiTM Cawangan Johor, the PDC3.0 UA Student Council category winner.
Payments Network Malaysia Sdn Bhd (PayNet), the national payments network and central financial infrastructure provider, has generated 24 million digital payments across participating higher education institutions nationwide.
Under the PayNet Digital Campus 3.0 (PDC3.0) campaign, which involved 30 institutions, including 25 public universities (UA) and five private higher education institutions (IPTS), a total of RM1.02mil in sponsorship funds was disbursed to participating universities between August and September last year to organise digital payment initiatives.
PDC3.0 saw student councils pitching their digital payment adoption campaigns to secure funding, with the successful campaigns running from October to December 2024.
The campaign’s top honours in the UA category were awarded to Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) Cawangan Perak, which secured first place with 66 transactions per capita, while UiTM Cawangan Sabah and UiTM Cawangan Johor completed the podium positions.
In the IPTS category, Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS (UTP) emerged as the champion, followed by Asia Pacific University of Technology & Innovation (APU) in second place.
Student councils were also recognised for their innovative digital payment campaigns.
The UA Student Council category saw UiTM Cawangan Johor clinching the top spot, while Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) and UiTM Cawangan Perak secured second and third places.
In the IPTS Student Council category, UTP led the way, followed by APU and Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman.
Special Recognition Awards were presented to Universiti Putra Malaysia, Universiti Malaya, Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia and UTM for demonstrating exceptional commitment to driving digital payment adoption within their campus communities.
The PDC3.0 winners were announced during the PayNet Digital Campus 2025 Summit in Putrajaya on Feb 27, where PDC4.0 was also unveiled.
PayNet group chief executive officer Farhan Ahmad said the remarkable growth in transactions and participating institutions underscores the strong momentum towards Malaysia’s cashless transformation in the education sector.
“By championing cashless campuses, we are not only preparing students for a digital future but also fostering greater financial inclusion. Empowering students with digital financial skills ensures that all learners, regardless of background, can participate in and benefit from Malaysia’s evolving digital economy.
“At the same time, we are creating safer, more efficient learning environments by reducing reliance on cash transactions,” he said in a press release.
In her speech, Higher Education director-general Prof Datuk Dr Azlinda Azman said higher education institutions play a pivotal role in driving Malaysia’s digital transformation.
“By fostering a cashless-first culture, we are not only modernising university ecosystems but also equipping students with essential financial literacy and digital skills that will prepare them for the future economy.
“This initiative aligns with the country’s commitment to integrating technology into education, as well as Malaysia’s Digital Economy Blueprint, which envisions a nation empowered by seamless digital transactions,” she said, while encouraging more universities to participate in PDC4.0.
Registration is open for higher education institutions with student populations exceeding 3,000.
