KUALA LUMPUR: The one-off RM100 Sumbangan Asas Rahmah (SARA) appreciation aid for individuals aged 18 and above represents just one component of the government’s comprehensive approach to addressing cost-of-living pressures.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim emphasised that this assistance serves as a supplement to the existing MySARA and Sumbangan Tunai Rahmah (STR) programmes rather than a standalone solution.
He revealed that international leaders, particularly from ASEAN nations, have expressed admiration for Malaysia’s extensive welfare initiatives given the scale of support provided.
“Out of a population of 34 million, we spend RM15 billion to assist nine million people, which many foreign leaders acknowledge they cannot afford to replicate,“ Anwar stated in a recorded video speech shared on Facebook.
The Prime Minister delivered these remarks during the closing ceremony of the Kedah edition of the MADANI Rakyat Programme at the Baling District Council Sports Complex.
Anwar noted that the SARA initiative has drawn admiration from international counterparts who recognise the challenges of implementing such extensive welfare programmes.
The Ministry of Finance reported that the seventh day of the SARA Appreciation initiative recorded total sales of RM100 million involving 1.7 million recipients with a 99.9% transaction success rate.
Announced in conjunction with National Day 2025, the SARA Appreciation Aid benefits 22 million people with an additional RM2 billion allocation.
This brings the total allocation for STR and SARA programmes this year to RM15 billion, marking the highest allocation in the nation’s cash assistance history. – Bernama
