KUALA LUMPUR: The government will consider expanding the MyKasih cash aid and the Sumbangan Asas Rahmah (Sara) voucher-based assistance scheme to include small traders and service providers.
Finance Minister II Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah Azizan said the government had taken note of the proposal raised by Yeo Bee Yin (PH–Puchong) and will review the existing system and capacity to determine whether the initiative can be extended to these groups.
“We will look into the proposal. We’ve taken note of the suggestion and will refine and assess the current system and its capacity to ensure that, if the cash aid initiative is expanded to this group, it remains properly managed.
“We do not want any other issues to arise later. I promise that we will study and evaluate whether this proposal can be implemented,” he said during the committee stage winding-up of the 2026 Supply Bill in the Dewan Rakyat today.
Earlier, Yeo proposed expanding the MyKasih and Sara cash aid programmes into voucher schemes that would benefit small traders and service providers.
She said the cash aid programmes had been well received by the public but were currently limited to certain types of businesses.
Yeo added that extending the use of MyKasih, similar to the Community Development Council (CDC) voucher scheme, would provide wider benefits to small traders.
© New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd
