Sibu: The Sumbangan Asas Rahmah (SARA) appreciation aid programme not only holds great meaning for its recipients but also delivers a positive impact to retailers and micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), helping to stimulate local economic growth. Jumbo Grocer (Apollo) supervisor Peter Baran said the programme’s implementation has transformed the landscape for small businesses.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, the assistance channelled through SARA not only helps recipients purchase daily necessities but also benefits local industry players by increasing sales among MyKasih-registered grocery outlets, while promoting greater visibility of homegrown products. Peter Baran noted that if the programme continues, more MSME products can be listed, allowing small entrepreneurs to market their goods and offering retailers a wider range of choices for consumers.
Jumbo Grocer currently sells around 20 local PMKS-made items, including ‘Sarawak Kopi O’, which has received strong demand from customers. The encouraging customer response indicates that local products have immense potential and need space and opportunity to expand further. Most recipients redeem essential goods such as rice, sugar, cooking oil, and canned food, while a smaller number use the aid for personal care items, medicine, school supplies, or household cleaning products.
Meanwhile, Floren Agan, Easy Shop chief cashier at Lorong Ulu Oya 11, pointed out that many recipients are still unaware they can redeem a variety of products beyond staple food items. She described SARA as a holistic initiative that supports the people and empowers small traders, creating new opportunities for local products to grow.
Bernama’s checks at several supermarkets around Sibu found an increasing number of Sarawak-made MSME food products on store shelves, including ‘mi kolok’, ‘mi kering’, and various types of ‘bihun’. Although goods from Peninsular Malaysia still dominate, the rising presence of products from Sabah and Sarawak reflects the quality and determination of local entrepreneurs.
SARA is a targeted cash assistance programme aimed at helping those in genuine need, expanded to benefit 5.4 million recipients nationwide. Under Budget 2025, allocations for STR and SARA have been increased to RM13 billion, while annual SARA assistance has been raised to RM2,100. Recently, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced a one-off RM100 payment to all Malaysian citizens aged 18 and above, credited directly to their MyKad under SARA, benefitting 22 million people.
The disbursement involves an additional RM2 billion, bringing the total allocation for STR and SARA to RM15 billion this year, the highest in Malaysia’s history of cash assistance, which can be spent from Aug 31 to Dec 31 at more than 8,100 shops and supermarkets nationwide.