Public Islamic Bank Platinum MasterCard Credit Card-i

Straightforward Cashback for Daily Essentials

The Public Islamic Bank Platinum Mastercard Credit Card-i is positioned as a no-frills cashback card aimed at everyday spending. Cardholders earn 2% cashback on grocery and departmental store transactions, capped at RM15 per monthly statement cycle.

While the cashback category is practical and easy to understand, the low monthly cap significantly limits the card’s overall rebate potential. In real-world usage, the cap is reached quickly, making this card better suited for light-to-moderate household spending rather than large monthly grocery budgets.

The card carries an annual fee of RM333, but the waiver condition is relatively lenient, requiring only 12 swipes over the preceding 12 months. This keeps the effective holding cost low for most active users.

Unlike its Visa counterpart, the Mastercard version includes e-Commerce Purchase Protection of up to USD200 per claim per annum, covering non-delivery, incorrect delivery, or damaged items. It also offers a 0% Balance Transfer plan for 6 months on balances above RM1,000. As with other cards in this segment, local airport lounge access previously offered has been removed following revisions.

Additional features include an automatic 0.1% donation from dining transactions to Yayasan Waqaf (capped at RM100 per month), and support for Google Pay and Samsung Pay.

Verdict: This card works best as a simple grocery-focused cashback option for users who prefer predictable rebates and an Islamic banking structure. However, the low cashback cap and lack of travel-related benefits mean it is not competitive as a primary rewards or travel card.