More than 12.5 Million Malaysians have benefited from the Subangan Asas Rahmah (SARA) untuk Semua programme, with over RM1 billion spent on basic necessities within three weeks of it’s 2026 launch, underscoring the scale and reach of the government’s cost-of-living support initiative.
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has said the strong uptake reflects the success of more disciplined national financial management, that allows savings to be channeled directly back to the people. The Ministry of Finance Malaysia has issued a statement today, he noted that improved governance and reduced leakages have enabled a fairer and more effective distribution of revenue to household nationwide.
The Ministry of Finance has also revealed that sales on the first day of the SARA program this year reached RM97 Million, almost double the RM50.7 Million recorded on the first day of it’s rollout last year. Amir Hamzah Azizan, Minister of Finance II said system efficiency has been significantly enhanced to ensure smooth transaction without public disruption.
“From 3,782 transactions per minute on the first day last year, the system is now capable of processing more than 11,000 transactions per minute without delays,” he said, adding that the use of MyKad has simplified access to the targeted aid while ensuring an orderly distribution process.
To this date, recipients have utilised 56% of the RM100 credit allocated under the programme to purchase any essential goods. The remaining balance remains valid for use until 31st December, giving beneficiaries continued flexibility.
In terms of regional distribution, redemption rates have been particularly strong in the Borneo states as well as the East Coast and northern Peninsular Malaysia. Sabah has recoded the highest rate of 70%, Perlis at 65%, Kelantan and Labuan each has recorded 64%, while Terengganu and Kedah at 63%. Sarawak registered at 62% redemption rate, and Pahang is at 60%.
Beyond easing the cost of living pressures, the SARA programme is also supporting local economic activity. The SARA Business Partner network currently includes over 4,400 small retail shops nationwide, alongside major supermarkets, bringing a total number of participating premises to more than 11,300.
The government aims to expand the number of small retail partners to 10,000 by the end of the year, increasing total SARA-accepting premises to 20,000. This expansion is expected to reduce the average distance to participate outlets from 10 kilometres to about 7 kilometers, further improving the accessibility for Malaysians across the country.
Sources: The Sun
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