Malaysia Credit Card Service Charges

Malaysia government is starting to charge 'service charge' on credit cards. I don't have any supplementary cards under me, but boy, do I have principal cards!! I blame all those credit card salespersons who stalk all around shopping malls.

Take this credit card. Take that credit card.

And when I apply for one, the banks give me two. I apply for Visa Free-for-Life, and I get Mastercard too.

So, since that the government wants to charge RM50 per card, I bet most cardholders would be going to the banks in these two months to get rid of their cards. My friends have already pledged their devotion to one or two banks. I am stuck. I like 4 banks - Citibank, HSBC, Maybank and CIMB. So, I have to pay RM200?? Damn.

Dato' Seri Najib said something funny today. He said that he offered more tax reliefs but people are upset about the RM50 service charge on the credit cards. He said among all, he reduced the income tax rate from 27% to 26%.

Like duh..

I am not affected by that reduction, but I am surely affected by the service charge. Who is to be thankful for that reduction? Dato' Tony Fernandez? Astro owner, Ananda? What? These people need credit cards??

I told my friend who works for CIMB that I am canceling most credit cards, but not CIMB. He jokingly thanked me. I told him, not because of loyalty. I am stuck with installments. I cannot escape. ;p