PUTRAJAYA: Recipients have spent nearly a third of the RM624.97 million disbursed under the Sumbangan Asas Rahmah (Sara) aid programme within just five days of its release, signalling its effectiveness in easing cost-of-living pressures.
Treasury secretary-general Datuk Johan Mahmood Merican said the Madani government has introduced several improvements to the 2026 rollout based on public feedback, including expanding the range of eligible products and increasing the number of registered merchant premises.
“Based on the latest data, nearly a third of the amount disbursed since Jan 9 has already been spent. This proves that Sara is an effective mechanism for channelling assistance to households,” he told Bernama.
Data from the Finance Ministry as of Jan 13 showed that Labuan and Sabah recorded the highest spending rates at 36 per cent each, while Kuala Lumpur recorded the lowest at 21 per cent.
Total spending reached RM172.49 million across all states and federal territories in the first five days of the 2026 disbursement cycle.
Johan said the programme also creates a spillover effect for the retail sector, as participating supermarkets and sundry shops compete to offer lower prices to attract recipients.
“We also ensure that the goods that can be purchased using Sara credits include products from local micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs),” he added.
To ensure no eligible individuals are left behind, the ministry has intensified data cross-checking with the Social Welfare Department and the Department of Orang Asli Development (Jakoa).
The government aims to increase the number of participating small shops to 10,000 by the end of this year. As of late 2025, there were 9,200 registered premises, including over 3,000 small retailers.
The 2026 Sara programme has seen a significant expansion, with 8.1 million recipients and an RM8 billion allocation, up from 5.4 million recipients and RM5 billion in 2025.
Monthly disbursements that began on Jan 9 benefit five million households and senior citizens, while payments to 3.1 million single individuals started yesterday.
In a related development, the Phase 1 disbursement of Sumbangan Tunai Rahmah (STR) involving RM1.1 billion will begin on Jan 20. Recipients will receive between RM100 and RM500, depending on eligibility.
New STR applications and appeals remain open year-round via the official portal at https://bantuantunai.hasil.gov.my.
© New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd
