Nearly 8.4 million SARA recipients have used their MyKad for purchases, with RM5.2 billion spent at registered premises as of Sept 20.
PETALING JAYA: Nearly 8.4 million recipients of the Sumbangan Asas Rahmah (SARA) monthly assistance under Sumbangan Tunai Rahmah (STR) had used their MyKad to purchase basic necessities as of Sept 20, with transactions reaching RM5.2 billion.
The Finance Ministry (MOF) said the figure represented a 99.7% utilisation rate among SARA recipients, with nine states, including Kedah, Kelantan, Perlis, Sabah, Sarawak, Terengganu, Perak, Pahang and Labuan, recording a 100% usage rate.
“Putrajaya recorded the lowest utilisation rate at 94%, followed by Johor at 95%.
“Based on data as of Sept 20, nearly 8.4 million monthly SARA recipients under STR have used their MyKad to purchase basic necessities at registered premises, reflecting a utilisation rate of 99.7%, with transaction spending in the local market reaching RM5.2 billion.”
The ministry said this in a written parliamentary reply to (Sik-PN) Ahmad Tarmizi Sulaiman, who asked about the amount of SARA allocation spent as of September 2026 by state and how the government measured the programme’s effectiveness in increasing the disposable income of low-income households.
The ministry said recipients’ spending performance was among the key indicators used to assess the effectiveness of STR and SARA in increasing the disposable income of low- and middle-income households.
“For SARA Untuk Semua, more than 20 million Malaysians, or 90% of the total recipients, had made purchases, with transaction value in the local market reaching nearly RM1.9 billion,” it said.
The ministry also said the government had allocated RM15 billion for STR and SARA in 2026, compared with RM10 billion in 2024, benefiting nearly nine million recipients.
It said the increase in allocation reflected the government’s commitment to strengthening the social safety net and providing targeted assistance to those in need while minimising leakages and duplication.
“The government remains committed to continuously monitoring the current situation to ensure that government assistance programmes continue to reach those in need in facing cost-of-living challenges,” it said.
SARA was a cashless assistance programme provided in the form of credit through recipients’ MyKad, which could be used at registered SARA partner stores to purchase items from 15 categories of basic necessities.These included essential food items, personal hygiene products, household cleaning products and medicines.
“The approach enables the government to monitor the implementation of the programme effectively and ensure that the targeted groups truly utilise the assistance for its intended purpose,” MOF said.
The Sun Malaysia
