6th January 2026 - 2 min read
The Ministry of Finance (MOF) has confirmed that unspent funds from the Sumbangan Asas Rahmah, or Sara programme, will be redirected to targeted initiatives for vulnerable communities.
In a statement, MOF said around RM150 million in unutilised funds from ‘Sara Untuk Semua’ will be channelled into social support programmes following strong take up of the assistance last year.
According to MOF, the reallocated funds will be used to support residents of shelters, including victims of domestic violence. Assistance will also be extended to students with disabilities and special needs, while part of the funding will go towards procuring medical devices for vulnerable groups.
MOF added that the funds will also help expand the ‘Dapur Siswa’ initiative, which provides meals to underprivileged students.
The reallocation is intended to ensure aid allocations continue to be used after the initial distribution period.
MOF also confirmed a significant expansion of the ‘Sara Bulanan’ programme for 2026. A total of 8.1 million recipients are expected to benefit, compared with 5.4 million recipients in the previous year.
The programme will carry an allocation of RM8 billion, up from RM5 billion in 2025. Eligible recipients will receive monthly credits ranging from RM50 to RM200, depending on their category.
Disbursements are scheduled to begin on 9 January, 2026 for 3.7 million households and 1.3 million senior citizens without spouses. Payments for 3.1 million single individuals will follow on 16 January. These dates form part of the 2026 rollout announced by MOF.
MOF noted that ‘Sara Bulanan’ recorded near full utilisation in 2025, including in rural areas.
To further improve access, the government plans to expand the number of participating small retail outlets nationwide. By the end of 2026, up to 10,000 outlets are expected to accept Sara credits, compared with more than 3,000 outlets at the end of 2025.
The expansion is intended to complement existing supermarket chains and improve access for recipients in rural and semi urban areas.
MOF said it will continue to refine and strengthen Sara programmes to improve coverage and implementation.
All measures outlined in the statement are part of existing government programmes, with the 2026 expansions scheduled to take effect from the announced disbursement dates.
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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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