Govt To Begin Distributing RM2,100 To SARA Financial Aid Recipients Today
SARA recipients can use their MyKad to purchase essential items at participating stores nationwide.
By May Vin Ang — 15 Jan 2025, 12:03 PM
The Sumbangan Asas Rahmah (SARA) financial aid will begin distribution today, 15 January
According to Bernama, the SARA aid of RM2,100 this year, up from RM1,200 in 2024, will go to 700,000 households classified as poor and hardcore poor nationwide.
For the household category, the payments will be made monthly to recipients' MyKads, beginning with RM100 from January to March, and increasing to RM200 from April to December.
The initiative is part of a record RM13 billion allocation in Budget 2025 for the Sumbangan Tunai Rahmah (STR) financial aid programmes for impoverished households and individuals
SARA is an additional aid provided to STR recipients who are categorised as 'Poor' or 'Hardcore Poor' under the government's eKasih database.
The targeted aid is automatically distributed to recipients' MyKads based on the government's database without recipients having to apply.
Besides households, the SARA programme has also been expanded to include an additional 4.7 million STR beneficiaries this year, raising the total number of recipients to 5.4 million.
Other categories of STR recipients, including single individuals and senior citizens, will be receiving varying amounts of aid, from RM450 to RM1,650.
Under the SARA programme, beneficiaries can purchase selected basic necessities using their MyKad at registered retail stores
There are now 1,200 participating stores, including well-known chains such as Mydin, Giant, Econsave, The Store, 99 Speedmart, and Lotus, as well as other supermarkets and minimarkets nationwide.
SARA recipients can use the credited funds to purchase essential items such as personal hygiene products, medication, and school supplies, in addition to staple foods including rice, flour, cooking oil, and eggs.
