Residents of Kampung Reah Baru Longhouse in Sarawak’s remote interior are finally enjoying easier access to government aid, thanks to a new system allowing them to redeem Sumbangan Asas Rahmah (Sara) directly at nearby grocery stores using just their MyKad.
This simplified approach spares villagers the time, cost, and hassle of traveling long distances to town. Previously, they had to journey over 35km to Serian just to claim the aid.
“It’s much easier now. We used to go all the way to the bank, but now we just use our MyKad at local shops to get food and necessities,” said Guang Latip, 69, the tuai rumah (longhouse chief). He shared that all 78 families in the longhouse are eligible for the aid this year.
Housewife Minang Dawi, 43, who cares for three young children, welcomed the convenience. “Now I don’t have to leave my children to go to town. I can just buy milk and rice nearby,” she said, also urging the government to consider family size—not just household income—when calculating aid.
For 52-year-old Madlein Ngaran, who lives alone, the MyKad system offers independence. “I can now manage my groceries without needing help from my children.”
The Sara programme, a targeted cash assistance scheme, has been expanded to cover 5.4 million recipients—including 700,000 eKasih households and 4.7 million Sumbangan Tunai Rahmah (STR) recipients. Under Budget 2025, the annual aid has increased from RM1,200 to RM2,100, with total allocations for STR and Sara rising from RM10 billion to RM13 billion.
To mark National Day, the government will also provide a one-off RM100 payment to all Malaysians aged 18 and above under Sara, benefiting 22 million people and pushing the total STR and Sara allocation to RM15 billion—Malaysia’s largest aid distribution to date.
As of July 29, over 4,500 retail outlets nationwide have joined the Sara network, offering more than 90,000 essential goods across 14 categories, including food, medicine, hygiene items, and school supplies.
The Sara initiative is part of the broader Madani Economy framework, aimed at uplifting low-income families through fair access, better quality of life, and comprehensive social protection.
