Pekan Pendang: An octogenarian who was overjoyed to receive the Sumbangan Asas Rahmah (SARA) aid rode pillion on her daughter’s motorcycle for nearly 20 kilometres to Pekan Pendang here to purchase essential goods. Tijah Ali, 85, from Kampung Pokok Asam, said she had never received the monthly assistance before and did not expect to be among this year’s SARA recipients, entitling her to RM100 a month.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Tijah expressed her feelings of disheartenment in the past when she saw others receive RM100 every month for groceries. “Today, when I checked my MyKad, I found out that I was eligible…I was so happy that I wanted to ride the motorcycle with my daughter to buy goods… it’s been over 20 years since I last rode one,” she said when met at a supermarket in Tanah Merah. She was seen purchasing essential items such as rice, cooking oil, flour, and sugar.

Tijah explained that since her husband’s passing, she had no source of income and relied solely on her children, who work as rubber tappers, to support her daily expenses. A similar plight was shared by Mohd Tarmizi Junus, 47, a lorry driver who admitted to facing challenges in raising his four children amid economic uncertainties. He mentioned that the SARA aid helps ease household expenses and allows him to save on grocery costs.

Housewife Zuhaida Ishak, 41, stated that the financial assistance was useful not only for daily necessities but also served as seed capital for her small business. She mentioned setting aside a portion as capital for making floral arrangements and traditional cakes, which, although yielding a small profit, helps cover some expenses. Similarly, Fatimah Ramizon, 38, a kuih trader, expressed relief at the aid, which helps her continue her business and supplement her family’s income, especially during times when her capital runs low.

Yesterday, Finance Minister II Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah Azizan reported that over RM50 million had been spent by 700,000 SARA recipients under the poor and hardcore poor categories on purchasing essential goods as of February 5.