KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 9 — Recipients of the monthly Sumbangan Asas Rahmah (SARA) assistance, which continues this year, began receiving their payments today, providing relief to more low-income households amid rising living costs.

With several improvements introduced to expand its benefits, the distribution of the assistance this year increased significantly, covering 8.1 million people with a total allocation of RM8 billion, compared with 5.4 million recipients and RM5 billion allocated last year.

The aid distribution, conducted in stages, began today, with payments first credited to household recipients and senior citizens without spouses before extending to 3.1 million single individuals on Jan 16.

A nationwide check by Bernama found that aid recipients have been visiting selected supermarkets since this morning to utilise credit amounts ranging from RM50 to RM200, depending on their approved category, to purchase essential items.

In Terengganu, most residents in the rural areas of Dungun expressed gratitude that the assistance has continued this year, describing the monthly SARA assistance as timely in easing the cost of living for the low-income group (B40), particularly rural households.

Azhar Ibrahim, 54, from Kampung Besol Lama, Bukit Besi, said the aid, despite its modest amount, had provided meaningful help in covering his kitchen essentials, especially after he quit his job at an iron ore mining company to care for his wife, who suffered a stroke.

In Sarawak, housewife Dora Nyandang, 31, said the assistance had been of great benefit to housewives like her, as it could be used to purchase essential items such as rice, eggs and other daily necessities.

“I just checked at the supermarket counter to see if the monthly SARA assistance had been credited, and I was surprised to find RM100 added to my MyKad,” she said when met at a supermarket in Kuching.

In Kedah, Norazimah Wahab, 34, of Taman Desa Impian near Padang Terap, said she was grateful for the government’s continued aid, which had helped her manage kitchen expenses after most of her savings were spent preparing her two children for school.

In Selangor, many are of the view that the monthly SARA assistance can help single and low-income earners in the city manage their living costs while also providing a range of additional benefits to the group.

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