Penang: A total of 4.8 million out of 5.4 million recipients of the Sumbangan Asas Rahmah (SARA) aid have used their MyKad to purchase basic necessities at registered premises nationwide as of this month.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Deputy Finance Minister Lim Hui Ying stated that Perlis recorded the highest usage rate at 94 percent, followed by 93 percent in Sabah and Kedah, while Penang recorded 88 percent. She noted that these figures reflect the growing effectiveness of the initiative, supported by various awareness and promotional efforts at both federal and state levels.

The ministry plans to continue strengthening awareness campaigns to ensure more people benefit from this government aid, which is aimed at easing their financial burden. Since April, the number of recipients has been significantly expanded from 700,000 to 5.4 million. Lim made these remarks during a SARA outreach programme at a hypermarket, where she met with 100 SARA recipients in Penang as part of the ministry’s effort to engage directly with urban communities.

To date, 3,700 retail premises have registered under the programme nationwide, enabling recipients to shop closer to home. In Penang alone, 190 such premises are available. Lim highlighted that starting May 1, the programme was enhanced by expanding the list of eligible items to 14 categories, including household and personal hygiene products, medicines, and school supplies like uniforms and shoes.

Additionally, Lim announced that the maximum SARA aid for 2025 has been raised to RM2,100 from RM1,200, a 75 percent increase. The combined allocation for the SARA and Rahmah Cash Aid (STR) programmes has been raised to RM13 billion this year, marking the highest cash aid provision in the country’s history.