KUALA LUMPUR, July 21 – The government has strengthened the implementation of the Sumbangan Asas Rahmah (SARA) programme to ensure targeted assistance reaches those who need it most, Deputy Finance Minister Liew Chin Tong told the Dewan Negara on Tuesday.
Responding to a question in the upper house, Liew said the combined allocation for the Sumbangan Tunai Rahmah (STR) and SARA programmes had increased from RM10 billion in 2024 to RM15 billion in 2026, reflecting the government’s commitment to enhancing social assistance.
He said the expansion of SARA includes increasing the number of participating SARA merchant partners to more than 13,700 outlets nationwide, while beneficiaries can now use their MyKad to purchase over 140,000 eligible products.
Liew added that the government has also expanded access to the programme in rural and remote areas to ensure that more Malaysians can benefit from the assistance.
According to him, the improvements are aimed at broadening the reach of targeted aid while helping ease the rising cost of living for eligible households across the country.
— MINUTESMY
