KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 28 — Maybank has announced that it has no plans to impose transaction fees rate on vendors accepting payments via the DuitNow QR code platform for the time being.

In an announcement today, the bank said this would continue until further notice.

"We wish to inform that Maybank has not implemented any fees in relation to DuitNow QR, and this will continue until further notice.

"Rest assured that all merchants may continue to accept DuitNow QR payments with no charge, as is the practice today.

"Any changes to this will be communicated ahead of time to the merchants,” the statement read.

Payments Network Malaysia Sdn Bhd (PayNet) — the operator of DuitNow QR — yesterday clarified that debit and credit card payments were currently subject to a merchant discount rate (MDR), while MDR for QR payments are exempted.

However, subsequent announcement by PayNet over the withdrawal of the MDR waiver for DuitNow QR payments from November 1 onwards invited backlash.

Previously, the MDR was waived as an incentive to encourage use during the QR payment introduction period in 2019.

PayNet said this waiver was extended due to the Covid-19 epidemic. It is neither a new fee nor an additional charge.

Addressing concerns that MDR costs will be passed on to consumers, PayNet explained that purchases using credit and debit cards were already subject to MDR.

Aside from Maybank, Public Bank said yesterday that it would waive the DuitNow QR charge indefinitely.

Meanwhile, CIMB said it would waive the charge until the end of the year.