TAP YOUR EZ-LINK CARD FOR AN INSTANT $1, $2 OR $5 DONATION TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE TO 45 BENEFICIARIES
Issued By: QB Pte Ltd
SINGAPORE, 31 July 2003 – The QB Tap & Give – President’s Challenge 2003 Programme, organised by QB Pte Ltd, the consumer payment company, was inaugurated today by His Excellency, President S R Nathan at an official launch ceremony held at Centrepoint Shopping Centre, Orchard Road. The occasion witnessed the unveiling of the first ‘QB Tap & Give Kiosk’, and the President’s first tap to the donation drive.
From August 1 to September 15, 2003, with a simple tap on specially constructed QB Tap and Give Kiosks, the public can make a $1, $2 or $5 donation to the cause. Conveniently positioned for shoppers and commuters, QB Tap & Give Kiosks are located at four Centrepoint Properties’ shopping malls (Centrepoint Shopping Centre, Causeway Point, Northpoint and Compass Point), MRT Stations (Raffles Place, City Hall and Orchard) and NEL Stations (Chinatown and Dhoby Ghaut). Special mobile QB Tap & Give Kiosks will also be placed at the President’s Challenge roadshows, ministries, corporations and at other fringe-activity locations to reach out to more people and enable them to donate effortlessly to the President’s’ Challenge.
Ms Norma Sit, CEO of QB, said, "The ‘Tap & Give’ programme is an excellent demonstration of the smart possibilities of the ez-link card for consumer payment purposes. With over four-and-half million ez-link cards in circulation, QB’s strategy of deploying ez-link cards to proliferate electronic payments is aligned to Singapore’s vision of becoming an e-payment cashless society. With a simple tap of their ez-link cards, the public can now donate to the President’s Challenge. Donating to charity has become so quick, simple and easy."
Said Mr Tay Siew Choon, Managing Director and Chief Operating Officer of Singapore Technologies, in his Welcome Address at the event, "Singapore Technologies sees the potential for consumer convenience through the deployment of new technologies such as the contactless smart card globally. Global trends point towards the convergence of technologies enabling consumer payments, and Green Dot, the parent company of QB, is well on its way towards making this impact in Singapore and beyond."
In addition, August 2 has been designated as a special ‘QB Tap & Give Day’ along Orchard Road, where President’s Challenge Public Education volunteers will be stationed at vantage points between Centrepoint and Orchard MRT to give away balloons and gifts to encourage donations and also to share with the public what PC2003 is about.
Sponsors who made this path-breaking initiative possible include BenQ, Centrepoint Properties, EZ-Link, Infineon Technologies Asia Pacific, SAFRA Radio, SBS Transit, Singapore MRT and Asia PR. Comz.
Mr. Nicholas Lee, Senior VP Business & Technology, EZ-Link Pte Ltd remarked, "We are glad to support our partner QB in this national charity event and are happy to see that so many other sponsors have come forward to make this unique way of donating possible. I hope all Singaporeans will do their little part and donate what they can at any one of the numerous QB Tap & Give Kiosks situated around Singapore."
The ez-link card, based on the contactless smart card technology, is a versatile transactional card that will eventually be used for practically all types of payment at merchant shops, restaurants and entertainment outlets.
The QB Tap & Give President’s Challenge 2003 Programme is a positive demonstration of how the ez-link card can be used beyond transit payment purposes