KUALA LUMPUR: Federal government is allocating a record RM15 billion this year for Sumbangan Tunai Rahmah (STR) and Sumbangan Asas Rahmah (Sara), the largest in its history, the Finance Ministry (MOF) said.
It said the government will begin distributing STR Phase 1 for 2026 on Jan 20, following the announcement by Prime Minister and Finance Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim during his 2026 New Year’s Message on Jan 5.
“For this phase, RM1.1 billion has been allocated, benefiting 3.7 million households and 1.3 million elderly individuals without partners.
“Recipients will receive between RM100 and RM500, depending on their eligibility category,” it said in a statement.
As part of the Madani government’s efforts to reduce the cost of living more effectively, the STR and SARA programmes have been restructured for 2026, it said.
Under the improvements, over 8 million Malaysians are eligible for monthly Sara assistance, including 400,000 classified as poor or hardcore poor in the eKasih database.
Sara serves as a basic, continuous support mechanism for the people.
Meanwhile, STR is provided as an additional quarterly aid, targeted at households and elderly individuals without partners with monthly incomes of RM5,000 and below, including poor and hardcore poor recipients registered with eKasih.
“The integrated approach ensures that targeted aid is distributed more systematically, steadily, and effectively, while providing additional financial support during peak needs, such as festive seasons.
“The total STR and Sara allocation for 2026 is RM15 billion, the highest in the history of the federal government,” the ministry said.
To reduce the risk of exclusion, new STR applications and appeals are open throughout the year via the official portal https://bantuantunai.hasil.gov.my.
FAQs regarding STR are also provided on the portal, while crediting status and Sara-related queries can be checked at https://sara.gov.my.
Eligibility for STR is based on income limits as set by the government.
All applications undergo verification with various government agencies to confirm eligibility.
For new applicants, periodic quarterly checks will review home ownership, vehicle ownership, business ownership, and records of overseas employment or residence.
All applicants are responsible for providing accurate information. The government reserves the right to withdraw approved aid in cases of non-compliance or false information. Legal action may also be taken for misinformation.
The ministry also reminded STR recipients to be cautious of fraudulent links or scams.
It said that it never requests personal information via SMS or WhatsApp, and recipients are advised to refer only to the official STR portal for updates.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim was reported as saying that the RM100 Sara aid will be credited to all adult citizens aged 18 and above beginning on Feb 9.
© New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd
