KUALA LUMPUR, March 27 — The government will improve the implementation of the Sumbangan Asas Rahmah (Sara) aid and consider expanding it in the future, said Deputy Finance Minister Lim Hui Ying.
Based on the feedback obtained from stakeholders and recipients, Sara has provided numerous benefits, as it is a targeted assistance programme to ensure the poor and hardcore poor receive the allocated goods.
“It (Sara) is different from subsidies in bulk because Sara can avoid leakage and is only given to eligible recipients,” she said during the question-and-answer session in the Dewan Rakyat today.
Lim was responding to Bayan Baru MP Sim Tze Tzin’s supplementary question on the government’s move to ensure that all eligible recipients continue to benefit from Sara.
She advised those living below the national poverty line income to register in the e-Kasih system to ensure they receive government aid and are not left behind.
“At the same time, applications for the Rahmad Cash Aid (STR) are also open throughout the year to allow eligible recipients the chance to be reassessed, since Sara eligibility is limited to STR recipients identified as poor or hardcore poor,” Lim said.
Regarding the Sara aid distribution method in the Peninsula, she said eligible households and senior citizens without spouses will receive RM100 every month, while single individuals will get RM50.
“It is automatically deposited through an account opened using the recipient’s MyKad for purchases at supermarkets or selected retail stores nationwide.
“For Sabah, Sarawak and Labuan, the payment will be transferred in two installments: RM600 for households and senior citizens without spouses and RM300 for single individuals.
“Payments are scheduled to be disbursed on February 19 and August 12 directly into the recipient’s bank account or distributed in cash at Bank Simpanan Nasional’s (BSN) branches nationwide,” Lim said.
RM210 million has been channelled to 700,000 SARA recipients nationwide as of yesterday.
— Bernama
