PRIME MINISTER Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced the expansion of the ‘Sumbangan Asas Rahmah’ (SARA) programme today, which will now benefit 5.4 million recipients, beginning April 1, 2025.
In a statement issued by the Ministry of Finance (MOF) today, Anwar stated that this marks an increase of nearly eightfold from the 700,000 recipients currently receiving the assistance.
Anwar, who is also Minister of Finance, said: “Eligible recipients will receive a total of RM2,100 in SARA benefits throughout 2025, a substantial increase from the RM1,200 allocated in 2024—an increase of 75%.”
The assistance will be credited monthly to recipients' MyKad, available across the nation, including Sabah, Sarawak, and the Federal Territory of Labuan.
This expansion is part of the broader increase in funding for both the "Sumbangan Tunai Rahmah" (STR) and SARA programmes, which will see a combined allocation of RM13 billion in 2025, the largest amount ever allocated for cash aid by the government.
"SARA is a targeted assistance programme, where a portion of the nation’s increased revenue, along with savings from subsidy expenditures, will be redistributed to help those most in need,” the statement read.
Anwar said: “The disbursement through MyKad ensures that the targeted groups can use the funds specifically for essential goods.”
MOF stated that the 5.4 million recipients of this aid will consist of 700,000 existing SARA recipients currently recorded in the eKasih database, who have been receiving SARA benefits since January 2025.
And, from April 1, 2025, these individuals will receive an additional RM50 per month for elderly people without a spouse and RM100 per month for households.
The aid will also go to 4.7 million recipients of Sumbangan Tunai Rahmah (STR) who are not part of the eKasih database and from April 1, 2025, they will also receive new monthly SARA assistance of RM50 for elderly individuals without a spouse and RM100 for households.
“The MyKad distribution system will be expanded to include Sabah, Sarawak, and the Federal Territory of Labuan, an improvement from 2024 when the aid was only disbursed in Peninsular Malaysia,” the ministry said, adding, this more standardised implementation replaces the previous method of disbursing assistance twice a year to recipients in Sabah, Sarawak, and Labuan.
“Under the SARA programme, recipients can use their MyKad to purchase selected essential goods at over 3,500 registered retail outlets across the country, a significant increase from just 700 outlets in 2024, it added.
The eligible items for purchase include basic food items, hygiene products, medicines, and school supplies, it read.
Details of SARA disbursement for 2025:
For more details on the eligibility criteria, recipients can check their status and access FAQs on the official STR portal at https://bantuantunai.hasil.gov.my, while further information on the SARA implementation mechanism is available at https://www.mykasih.com.my. – March 26, 2025
