Payments Network Malaysia (PayNet) is the national payments network and central infrastructure for Malaysia’s financial markets. With Bank Negara Malaysia (the Central Bank of Malaysia) as its majority shareholder, PayNet plays a pivotal role in driving the nation’s digital transformation through services like online banking and QR code payments, ensuring a seamless digital payment experience nationwide. 

On the other hand, FOURDIGIT is a service design firm that has enhanced countless digital experiences through a focus on UI/UX. We believe that both organizations share a fundamental philosophy: a commitment to “user-centric digital experiences.”

Following a panel discussion at Medini Johor 2025 in Johor, Malaysia, we had the opportunity to host a special dialogue between Azleena Idris of PayNet and our COO, Takehiro Suenari. Under the theme of “Financial Inclusion and Digital Experience,” we discussed the strategic role of UI/UX from a grassroots perspective and how it intersects with national economic strategies.

Suenari: When we spoke in Johor, I was deeply impressed by how PayNet places ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) at the “core” of its business strategy rather than treating it as a mere compliance requirement. Could you elaborate on PayNet’s role and mission within Malaysian society?

Idris: As the operator of retail payment services in Malaysia, our mission is to build a society where all Malaysians can thrive. We do this by facilitating prosperity through the digital payment ecosystem built upon PayNet’s financial platform.

In 2024, the total value of digital payment transactions reached four times Malaysia’s GDP. This is a testament to how digital payments have permeated every corner of daily life and economic activity, creating a highly active, virtuous cycle. We place a particular emphasis on “Financial Inclusion.” We view ESG as a strategic lens to design specific initiatives, with a heavy focus on supporting Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).

Suenari: Using ESG as a “strategic lens” to build the future, rather than just a defensive measure, truly highlights PayNet’s forward-thinking approach.

Idris: Ensuring everyone has access to financial services is a challenge we must lead. Beyond just building the platform, we invest heavily in educating and training MSMEs and those previously excluded from the financial system, nurturing them as active users. As users grow and their businesses become profitable, it naturally creates an environment where private banks can participate more actively. Our role is to cultivate an ecosystem where individuals can become self-reliant and businesses can grow healthily.

Suenari: Listening to you, I see a strong affinity with our project in Okinawa, Japan, called “MOM FoR STAR.”Okinawa faces challenges such as high child poverty rates and high non-regular employment among single mothers. This project provides these mothers with digital skills training—such as UI/UX design—paired with job placement support.

Idris: Exactly. One of our initiatives is an empowerment program called “PayNet Cambah” (Cambah means “to sprout” in Malay). In collaboration with partner companies, we provide digital financial literacy and skill training to the B40 (lower-income group), helping them earn income autonomously.

Suenari: What kind of specific projects are currently underway?

Idris: For example, in Langkawi, we collaborated with luxury resorts to collect discarded bed linens. About 100 women then upcycled these materials into fashion items to be sold in boutiques. Through this project, the upcycled clothing sold for over ten times the price of the raw material.

We support these communities from the ground up while simultaneously integrating digital payments into their new business cycle. To participate in the digital economy, one first needs a stable income “product” or “employment opportunity.” By being involved in this foundational stage, we create a mechanism where they can enter the digital economy naturally and sustainably.

Suenari: It would be wonderful to collaborate on our respective projects in the future. I am fascinated by how PayNet’s strategy—designing for daily life and work first, then placing digital tools as an extension of that—translates into actual experience design on the ground.

Suenari: To spread new technology throughout society, the pursuit of “usability” is essential. How is PayNet’s high-level strategy shaped into tangible experiences for users?

Idris: We always start with field observation. By carefully looking at the context of a user’s life, we can identify exactly where their anxieties or ambiguities regarding finance and digital tools lie. It is essential to go to the site and understand the situation from the user’s perspective, rather than just thinking at a desk.

Through “PayNet Cambah,” we realized that the key to success was creating all program materials in the native Malay language and ensuring absolute clarity in expression. Choosing words that resonate with the local context is vital to overcoming literacy barriers.

Suenari: Using the local language and aligning with local sensibilities—deep understanding of cultural context really determines the quality of the experience.

Idris: Precisely. There is a specific reason why QR code payments spread so rapidly among Malaysian street food vendors (hawkers). When observing the owners, their hands are often messy from cooking or cleaning. Washing their hands every time they touch cash is a hassle, and operating a smartphone screen is equally cumbersome.

This is where the “Soundbox” comes in—a device that announces payment completion via audio. Owners can hear that the payment has been received without having to wash their hands or check a screen. This specific convenience and peace of mind, tailored to the context of the site, is why cashless payments have integrated into daily life and usage rates have soared.

Suenari: That is a brilliant solution that empathizes with the user’s struggle. Finance and business expansion are intangible values; unlike a chair, you can’t see them. People won’t take action unless they can specifically imagine how their lives will change.

Suenari: In Japan, we often see small restaurants run by couples where they are too busy to think about digital management, even if they know it’s efficient. To change that, we need to visualize use cases that solve urgent problems—like the Soundbox—so they can see it as “their business.” Our real job is to move the user’s emotions to the point where they feel “I can do this” or “I want to try this.” Digitalization is merely the means to that end.

Suenari: Once the field experience is improved and small businesses begin to grow, the next step is securing funding. We have invested in and partnered with the Malaysian fintech company Bee Informatica. Their MSME lending platform, “fundingbee,” uses proprietary scoring to provide financing opportunities to micro-enterprises and young entrepreneurs who struggle to get traditional bank loans.

Idris: Initiatives like “fundingbee” are essential pieces of the financial inclusion puzzle. Our analysis shows that supporting micro-enterprises involves complex challenges, which we view through three critical dimensions encompassing nine specific issues.

The first dimension is profitability; rising costs for materials, labor, and utilities are shrinking margins, making it extremely difficult for these businesses to generate profit. Second is the lack of economic transparency, where businesses are pressured by export uncertainties, irregular seasonal demand, and a decline in domestic consumption due to the rising cost of living. Finally, there is the issue of efficiency. Not only is productivity low due to manual processes, but the reliance on cash means these businesses leave no “digital footprint.” This lack of transaction history creates a significant barrier to accessing credit and ultimately drives up the cost of capital.

Suenari: The inability to borrow growth capital due to a lack of credit history is exactly what Bee Informatica addresses. How do you help businesses that aren’t yet digitally ready?

Idris: PayNet provides a stepped education program. We start with digital financial literacy, move to financial management know-how, and then to strategic management. Finally, we teach them how to prevent fraud. We support them so they can build their own credit.

Suenari: This highlights the importance of supporting the “end-to-end” experience, from the initial payment to the final loan. As these businesses grow, they will also need to connect with international markets, making cross-border payment systems essential.

Idris: To that end, we have built a cross-border QR payment framework connecting ASEAN countries. By linking payment networks, even micro-enterprises can trade seamlessly with customers in other countries. Regarding future options like stablecoins, we are cautiously observing the possibilities, as regulations and definitions still vary by country.

Suenari: It feels as though every PayNet employee shares the same passion. How do you push such complex themes like ESG across the entire organization?

Idris: We have a clear core strategy translated into a “Corporate Scorecard” with KPIs for the whole company. Every department was involved in the ESG strategy from the start. It’s about taking small steps so everyone feels ownership.

Suenari: The importance of thinking about the experience holistically across departments is the same in Japan. What do you expect from design partners like us in the future?

Idris: I would love for you to help improve the UI/UX for user-facing companies in Malaysia. While PayNet is a B2B infrastructure provider, the experience that banks and fintechs provide to their users directly impacts the growth of Malaysia’s digital economy. There is still so much room for improvement here.

Suenari: We want to contribute to creating experiences where partners can use technology naturally in their daily lives. We look forward to working together toward the future of financial inclusion and the digital economy that PayNet envisions.