KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 4 — The fourth phase of Sumbangan Tunai Rahmah (STR) cash aid, amounting to RM1.1 billion, is being disbursed starting today to over five million recipients nationwide, as part of ongoing efforts to assist the public in coping with the pressure of the cost of living.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said the disbursement is being made in conjunction with the Deepavali celebration and covers recipients from various ethnic backgrounds.

He noted that this assistance reflects the government's commitment to ensuring that the welfare of the people particularly those in the low-income group remains a priority.

“Therefore, in conjunction with Deepavali, I am announcing that from today until November 6, a total of RM1.1 billion in STR aid will be distributed to more than five million people,” he said while speaking during a visit to the Deepavali Mega Bazaar 2026 in Brickfields here today.

Also present were Minister of Communications Datuk Seri Fahmi Fadzil, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Federal Territories) Hannah Yeoh, Minister of Human Resources Datuk Seri R. Ramanan, and Minister of Digital Gobind Singh Deo. 

Anwar, who is also the Minister of Finance, emphasised that the STR (Sumbangan Tunai Rahmah) assistance is not focused on any specific ethnic group, instead it is open to all citizens who meet the eligibility criteria.

He noted that the Indian community also benefits from this initiative, with over 630,000 recipients accounting for 7.4 per cent of the total number of STR recipients nationwide.

Meanwhile, the Prime Minister said the government’s cash assistance allocation has grown from RM6 billion under the “Bantuan Rakyat 1Malaysia” (BR1M) scheme in 2018 to RM8 billion under the “Bantuan Keluarga Malaysia” (BKM) scheme in 2022.

He added that this figure is set to rise to RM15 billion for STR and “Sumbangan Asas Rahmah” (SARA) allocations in 2026, before increasing further to RM16 billion under the 2027 Budget.

He remarked that this increase in allocation demonstrates the government’s commitment to strengthening the social safety net and ensuring that aid reaches those in need.

“So, you can make comparisons. You can also express gratitude. Some might say, ‘It existed before, too.’ That is true. But how much was it back then? RM6 billion. And how much is it now? RM16 billion for the people especially those in the lowest income bracket,” he said.

Meanwhile, in a statement today, the Ministry of Finance said STR payments to existing recipients will be processed from November 4 to 6, while new recipients and those whose appeals were approved will receive their payments starting November 16.

Of this total, 4.0 million are households with an income of RM5,000 or less, while 1.4 million are senior citizens without a spouse.

Based on eligibility categories, households will receive up to RM500, while senior citizens without a spouse will receive RM150.

MOF also said recipients with bank accounts will receive payments via direct credit to their respective accounts, while those without bank accounts may collect their payments in cash at any Bank Simpanan Nasional (BSN) branch.

Further information, status checks, and Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) regarding the STR can be accessed via the official portal at bantuantunai.hasil.gov.my, while information concerning SARA (Sumbangan Asas Rahmah) can be found at sara.gov.my. — Bernama