KUALA LUMPUR: Essential food and household items listed under the RM100 Sumbangan Asas Rahmah (Sara) programme have been included in the Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry’s price monitoring checklist.
Minister Datuk Armizan Mohd Ali said the move aimed to prevent any party from taking advantage of the programme, while also supporting the ministry’s monitoring efforts.
“Inspections were carried out at 8,438 premises involved in the Sara programme between Aug 31 and Sept 2. In addition, daily monitoring was conducted by price monitoring officers, covering 1,160 premises and involving checks on 316 types of items,” he said in response to Senator Anna Bell @ Suzieana Perian in the Dewan Negara.
Suzieana asked about viral claims that some traders had taken advantage of the programme by raising prices of essential food and household items.
Armizan said five complaints were received through the ministry’s e-Aduan platform, with only two directly related to the Sara programme.
“We will investigate and follow up with the necessary action within 24 hours,” said Armizan.
The RM100 cash aid, credited directly to recipients’ MyKad, was among several cost-of-living relief measures announced by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim in July.
It can be redeemed at more than 7,300 participating premises nationwide until Dec 31.
About 22 million Malaysians aged 18 and above will benefit from the initiative.
The Finance Ministry said yesterday Sara transactions totalled RM117.1 million on Wednesday — the fourth day of the programme — involving 1.8 million recipients.
This marked an increase from RM76.8 million spent by 1.1 million recipients on Tuesday.
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