5th January 2026 - 2 min read
Around 22 million Malaysians aged 18 and above will receive another RM100 under the Sumbangan Asas Rahmah, or SARA, starting from 9 February 2026, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced today.
The one-off assistance will be credited directly through recipients’ MyKad to help cover daily necessities, particularly ahead of Ramadan and Chinese New Year.
The payment continues the RM100 assistance provided last year and forms part of the government’s commitments under Budget 2026. The government said maintaining the RM100 amount is intended to provide consistent support to adult Malaysians.
The government will also expand the number of participating outlets where SARA funds can be spent.
An additional 10,000 neighbourhood grocery shops will be added nationwide, increasing coverage beyond major retail chains and making the assistance more accessible, especially for recipients living in residential areas and smaller towns.
With the addition of more neighbourhood grocery shops, recipients will have wider access points to spend the assistance on essential items in their local areas.
Total allocations for Sumbangan Tunai Rahmah, or STR, and Sumbangan Asas Rahmah in 2026 will amount to RM15 billion.
The government said the higher allocation is supported by savings generated from targeted subsidy rationalisation measures, including adjustments to subsidies for diesel and RON95 petrol. These savings have been redirected towards direct assistance programmes.
Separately, Anwar said monthly recipients under the STR programme will receive RM200 credited through their MyKad starting 9 January 2026. In addition, RM500 will be credited into the bank accounts of eligible Malaysians under the first phase of STR payments.
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Samuel writes about personal finance and financial news, focusing on how banking updates, policies, and promotions affect everyday money decisions. He enjoys making complicated financial topics easier to follow. Outside of writing, he spends his time watching TV shows and occasionally convincing himself he will only watch one episode.
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