The e-wallet only requires consumers to use the phone when making payments, without using cash or credit card.

Petron Malaysia head of commercial business Choong Kum Choy said customer convenience had been a priority for the company and this collaboration enabled it to offer more and safer payment choices for customers.

He said to date, Petron had some 600 fuel stations across the country and it was targeting 90% of these to use the application by the year-end.

“We hope more consumers will be able to enjoy the Fuel Happy Petron experience and get better rewarded by using Petron fuel and the service we have launched,” he said after the launch of the collaboration.

Meanwhile, deputy secretary-general (domestic trade) of the domestic trade and consumer affairs ministry, Badrul Hisham Mohd, said the initiative was in line with the government’s policy towards digital economy development.

“This development does not only require people to have skills and knowledge, but also the commitment of companies which really want to get involved in the digital economy.

“Otherwise, this country will lag behind in mainstream business,” he said.

WeChat Pay Malaysia chief executive officer Jason Siew said the initiative was in tandem with the strategy of creating a cashless society while benefiting from the increased use of e-commerce and efficient payment systems in Malaysia through electronic payments.

“This strategic collaboration with Petron will continue to encourage the use of cashless payments among consumers in this country,” he added.