5 July 2007�

PENANG: It may be cumbersome to count 200 pieces of one sen coins when a customer is paying for an item that costs RM2. But the receiver cannot refuse the money.

If you prefer to pay for a RM10 product in 50 sen coins, the seller also cannot reject the payment.�

It was provided for under Section 24 of the Central Bank of Malaysia Act that you can use one sen, five sen, 10 sen and 20 sen coins to pay for a transaction of up to RM2, a Bank Negara official said.�

The Act also allows a buyer to pay for a product or service worth up to RM10 in 50 sen coins.�

�You can use the coins up to the stated limit and the recipients should not reject them,� the official said.�

She was commenting on an e-mail complaint to The Star by sales and marketing executive Eddie Lim that a drink stall attendant in Tanjung Bungah had refused to accept the two pieces of five sen coins that he wanted to use to pay for a drink.�

State Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs committee chairman Lau Chiek Tuan agreed that traders should accept the small coins for the limited amount.�

�The one sen and five sen coins are legal tender; it should be okay for the consumer to use them,� he said.�

A check by The Star showed that such coins are accepted at most retail outlets, especially in fast food outlets, shopping centres and supermarkets.�

Federation of Hawker Penang chairman Lam Tong Ying said most hawkers were more than happy to collect the coins from customers.�

�The one sen and five sen coins come in handy for payment of electricity and water bills and also for shopping,� he said.�

Aeon Co (M) Bhd public relations manager Shirly Chan said the company�s chain of Jusco supermarkets provide one sen coins for customers at each counter.�

�It was at their suggestion and for their own convenience that we provide the one sen coins,� she said