Malaysia disburses nearly RM11 billion in STR and Sara aid
The Finance Ministry reported a 99.7 per cent utilisation rate for monthly Sara assistance, with transactions worth RM5.2 billion by September 2026.
Malaysia had paid out nearly RM11 billion under its Sumbangan Tunai Rahmah (STR) and Sumbangan Asas Rahmah (Sara) assistance programmes by September 2026, the Ministry of Finance said. The government allocated RM15 billion to the two programmes for 2026.
STR payments accounted for RM3.6 billion, distributed across three phases by September. Eligible households and elderly recipients receive STR quarterly, while nearly nine million citizens qualify for monthly Sara assistance in 2026, according to the ministry.
The figures were provided in a written parliamentary reply to Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin (PN-Pagoh), who asked how effectively the allocation supported basic spending and reached low-income citizens.
The ministry put monthly Sara utilisation at 99.7 per cent, with transactions totalling RM5.2 billion by September. Under Sara Untuk Semua, more than 20 million citizens had used the assistance for purchases, equivalent to 90 per cent of recipients. Those transactions were worth nearly RM1.9 billion in the local market.
The ministry said programme effectiveness could be assessed through coverage, use of assistance, targeting accuracy and whether the support met recipients’ basic needs.
