KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 1 — About 850,000 Malaysians spent more than RM50 million on the first day of the RM100 Sumbangan Asas Rahmah (Sara) one-off aid rollout, as of 9.30pm last night.
The Finance Ministry (MoF), in a statement, said the overwhelming response from Sara recipients had caused a sudden surge in transactions.
As a result, the payment terminal system operated through the MyKasih network experienced significant slowdowns at several locations, the statement read.
The ministry added that although the system was running more slowly, transactions were still being received and processed.
“MOF and MyKasih have taken steps to boost system capacity to ensure that beginning September 1, 2025, people can continue making purchases through Sara smoothly and without disruption.
“To ensure system stability and readiness for continued Sara transactions on September 1, MyKasih will be carrying out system maintenance tonight,” the MoF said yesterday.
The ministry also apologised for any inconvenience caused and assured that it would continue to monitor the initiative closely to ensure smooth implementation.
According to the statement, the number of transactions today was far higher than usual, as until August 30 this year, the monthly rollout of Sara had handled an average of about 600,000 daily transactions.
“MoF also wishes to remind that the RM100 Sara one-off aid remains valid until December 31, 2025 and can be used at more than 7,300 registered retail outlets nationwide,” the statement read.
The RM100 Sara one-off aid is credited into MyKad for over 22 million Malaysians aged 18 and above. — Bernama
