KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 20 — The Sumbangan Asas Rahmah (Sara) programme this year is expected to benefit over 700,000 recipients with RM700 million in allocations, a five-fold increase, compared to 210,000 recipients at RM130 million last year.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said this is to improve Sara as a targeted subsidy aid to those who are most affected by the rising living costs.
“The Malaysian economy’s transformation begins with lifting our most vulnerable up. The improvements to the Sara programme is the first step in bridging inequality and building an inclusive society as envisioned in the Madani Economy framework,” he said in a statement yesterday.
Sara, which will be implemented in stages from January 22 onwards, is aimed to uplift Malaysia’s most economically vulnerable population and holds true to the principle of equitability which serves as the the Madani Economy framework’s foundation.
The programme’s improvements include expanding qualified recipients to the poor and hardcore poor compared to the hardcore poor only last year, increasing the aid to households to RM1,200 from RM600 in 2023.
Aid to single individuals remains at RM600, and expanding items valid for purchase with the programme’s credit using MyKad to include three new categories — personal care items, medicines, and school supplies — on top of basic food and foodstuffs at registered grocery shops.
Sara will be credited to recipients in Peninsular Malaysia beginning on Monday (January 22), while recipients in Sabah, Sarawak, and the Labuan Federal Territory will begin receiving their Sara cash assistance from February 19 onwards.
Sabah, Sarawak, and Labuan recipients will receive their aid in two instalments of RM600 for households and senior citizens without a spouse and RM300 for single individuals on February 19 and August 12 to the recipient’s bank account or handed out in cash at Bank Simpanan Nasional (BSN) branches nationwide.
“Following the encouraging response to the Sara programme last year, the government has also expanded the network of participating retailers (supermarkets/sundry shops) to 515 (as of January 17) from 424 (in 2023) across the country,” Anwar said.
The Finance Ministry also reminded recipients to be wary of unverified links from irresponsible parties when seeking information on the Sara programme.
— Bernama
