Kuala lumpur: The SARA For All programme, which provides a one-off RM100 aid credited through MyKad to all Malaysians aged 18 and above, will begin disbursement starting Monday, February 9.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Finance Minister II Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah Azizan announced that eligibility checks for the aid can now be conducted via the sara.gov.my portal. A total of RM2.2 billion has been allocated for this initiative, which aims to benefit all Malaysians. The aid will be automatically credited to recipients' MyKad and will remain valid for use until December 31, 2026.
During the Minister's Question Time session in the Dewan Rakyat, Amir Hamzah addressed a query from Datuk Seri Dr Zaliha Mustafa (PH-Sekijang) regarding the SARA programme's allocation through the MyKasih system and its transaction value in the local market. The programme is a component of the Sumbangan Asas Rahmah (SARA) initiative under Sumbangan Tunai Rahmah (STR), designed to assist citizens in coping with the rising cost of living through targeted cashless aid.
Furthermore, Amir Hamzah revealed that the government is evaluating a proposal to include wet food as a new category under the SARA programme. This consideration will ensure quality, food safety, and consumer guarantees before any decision is reached.
He also highlighted that, as of Tuesday, February 3, the number of SARA merchant partners has increased to 10,700 outlets nationwide, up from 700 in 2024. Of these, 3,000 are small traders. The government aims to further expand the SARA network, with the target of increasing small grocery shops to 10,000 outlets by the end of the year.
In response to a supplementary question from Dr Zaliha, Amir Hamzah mentioned that these efforts would reduce the distance from the nearest sundry shop to a recipient from 10 kilometers to seven kilometers. The query also touched on the potential improvement of terms and approval periods for applications as SARA merchant partners and the inclusion of wet goods in the programme's product category.