Nearly RM11b in STR, Sara aid disbursed as of September, says Finance Ministry

The Finance Ministry said the government continues to ensure that the RM15 billion allocated for STR and Sara in 2026 delivers tangible benefits to the people, especially low-income groups and vulnerable communities. — Picture by Sayuti Zainudin

First Published: Tuesday, 20 Oct 2026 8:59 AM MYT

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 20 — Nearly RM11 billion in Sumbangan Tunai Rahmah (STR) and Sumbangan Asas Rahmah (Sara) assistance had been disbursed to eligible recipients as of September 2026, according to the Ministry of Finance (MoF).

MoF said that RM3.6 billion had been disbursed to STR recipients through three payment phases as of last month.

The ministry said the government continues to ensure that the RM15 billion allocated for STR and Sara in 2026 delivers tangible benefits to the people, especially low-income groups and vulnerable communities.

“This year, nearly nine million citizens are eligible to receive Sara monthly, while STR is distributed quarterly to eligible households and the elderly.

“The effectiveness of the implementation of STR and Sara can be accessed through several aspects, including recipient coverage, aid utilisation, targeting accuracy and the ability of the aid to meet basic needs,” it said in a written response published on the Parliament website.

MoF said this in response to Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin’s (PN-Pagoh) question regarding the effectiveness of the RM15 billion allocation for STR and Sara based on basic spending and its distribution to low-income citizens.

The ministry noted that the monthly Sara recorded a utilisation rate of 99.7 per cent, with a transaction value of RM5.2 billion as of September 2026.

Meanwhile, for Sara Untuk Semua, more than 20 million citizens had made purchases, representing 90 per cent of the total number of recipients, with transaction values in the local market amounting to nearly RM1.9 billion, it added. — Bernama