KUALA LUMPUR: The government’s push for digital social aid needs stronger trust-building measures to succeed, a policy research group said following system glitches during the rollout of the RM100 Sumbangan Asas Rahmah (Sara) aid.
Social and Economic Research Initiative (Seri) chairman Helmy Haja Mydin said technical failures that plagued the aid’s launch on Sunday, including failed transactions and long wait times, had forced many recipients to pay cash, undermining confidence in digital government initiatives.
“Digital social aid is a step in the right direction, but to ensure long-term success, trust must be built through reliable systems, transparent messaging, strong retail networks, and visible accountability,” he said.
Seri called for contingency plans such as e-vouchers or reimbursement systems, public dashboards to monitor performance, and independent audits of future rollouts.
The group proposed clearer messaging to distinguish between the one-off Sara assistance, redeemable until Dec 31, and its targeted monthly version, alongside multilingual FAQs to reach diverse communities.
To curb fraud, the think tank recommended a single verified portal, pre-announced web addresses, and faster takedowns of fake sites.
The Sara initiative allows all Malaysian adults to purchase daily essentials using MyKad.
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