2nd September 2025 - 2 min read
More than 1.45 million transactions worth RM91 million have been recorded under the Bantuan Sumbangan Asas Rahmah (SARA) programme since its launch on 31 August. The transactions include both the one-off SARA payment and the monthly SARA Bulanan cash aid.
The MyKasih Foundation, which manages the programme, confirmed that it has increased the processing capacity of SARA MyKad terminals by 60% to cope with the surge in usage. The upgrade followed heavy traffic on the programme’s first day.
The SARA rollout began on National Day, with demand remaining strong into the following week. As of 5 pm on 1 September, almost 600,000 transactions had been carried out, representing a 20% increase compared to the same time on launch day.
MyKasih reported system slowdowns in Selangor, Perak, Sabah, and Malacca. Several hypermarkets in urban areas with large numbers of recipients also experienced online congestion during peak hours, particularly between 1 pm and 2 pm. To manage this, MyKasih staff have been deployed to bigger outlets to assist merchants and address technical issues.
According to MyKasih, 22 million recipients received their one-off RM100 SARA credit on 31 August, while a further 5.4 million beneficiaries received their monthly SARA Bulanan credit on 1 September.
Recipients have been advised to shop during non-peak hours, such as weekday mornings, to avoid congestion and ensure smoother transactions.
The RM100 SARA credit remains valid until 31 December 2025. It can be redeemed at more than 7,300 participating retail outlets nationwide, giving recipients flexibility in planning their purchases.
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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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