PETALING JAYA: Some treated it as a shopping spree, others as a way to stretch their ringgit, but from midnight yesterday Malaysians were already queuing at supermarkets to redeem the government’s one-off RM100 Bantuan Sumbangan Asas Rahmah (Sara), channelled to 22 million citizens.
Federation of Malaysian Consumers Associations president Dr Saravanan Thambirajah said overcrowding and temporary system crashes were expected, especially since redemption began on a public holiday.
“A sudden surge of consumers was bound to overwhelm both the system and outlets. While Sara aid is a good initiative to ease living costs, its true impact depends on how it is used and how consumers approach it,” he said.
The RM100 credit, disbursed on Aug 31 to all Malaysians aged 18 and above in conjunction with National Day, was deposited directly into MyKad for use at more than 4,500 participating shops nationwide.
Checks across Klang Valley outlets showed long lines, with 24-hour stores such as ST Rosyam Mart and Mydin Hypermarket drawing midnight crowds, many filling trolleys with essentials.
By late morning, however, the MyKasih system handling MyKad-linked redemptions buckled under demand, forcing some shoppers to pay out of pocket.
The Finance Ministry and MyKasih Foundation later apologised, citing “exceptionally high transaction volume”.
Saravanan urged households to use the aid wisely.
“Plan purchases carefully, focus on food and daily needs. If used impulsively, the relief will be short-lived. There is no need to rush and queue for hours.
“Overcrowding fuels frustration, panic buying and even health risks. Staggering redemptions would help both consumers and retailers,” he said, adding that the aid is valid until year-end.
He noted that many preferred to spend the full RM100 in one go to save on transport and time, calling it practical.
“But if spending is driven purely by excitement, the programme’s objective is weakened,” he said.
Saravanan also called for safeguards on consumer data.
“ICs should only be used strictly for verification. Retailers must be accountable, and authorities must reassure consumers their personal information is protected.”
Universiti Teknologi Mara senior economics lecturer Dr Mohamad Idham Md Razak said the government’s choice of MyKad over e-wallets was largely driven by fraud prevention and the need to ensure aid reached verified citizens.
“While consumers are universally familiar with their IC, many, especially younger and urban groups, are more comfortable with e-wallets. Still, the IC remains a trusted and universally accepted form of identification,” he said.
Idham warned, however, that privacy and security remain the key concerns.
“Handing over physical ICs exposes consumers to risks such as identity theft, unauthorised copying of sensitive data or misuse while the card is out of their possession,” he said.
He added that overloads, breaches and exclusion of those without their IC on hand were weaknesses of the current model.
“Consumers can check balances through hotlines, physical counters or official portals. But moving forward, policy must balance innovation with inclusion. E-wallets are the future of secure transactions, but transition strategies must not leave vulnerable groups behind.”
