KUALA LUMPUR: The distribution of Sumbangan Asas Rahmah (Sara) cash aid for poor and hardcore poor households for this year will begin in stages from today.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said the Sara initiative has been improved, with the allocation being increased by more than five-fold to RM700 million as compared to RM130 million last year.
He said the much larger allocation enabled the government to increase the number of Sara recipients to 700,000 as compared to 210,000 last year.
"The assistance amount has also been raised to RM1,200, doubling the amount from the previous year."
Anwar added that Malaysia's economic transformation begins by uplifting the people's status.
"The improvements to the Sara programme are an initial step in addressing wealth disparities and building an inclusive society as envisioned in the Madani Economic Framework.
"God willing, the government will announce further enhancements to other assistance programmes to uplift the economy of vulnerable groups and uphold the principle of equality," he said on Facebook today.
Previously, the Finance Ministry had announced that the funds would be credited to recipients in Peninsular Malaysia beginning today (Jan 22), while recipients in Sabah, Sarawak, and Labuan will begin receiving cash assistance from Feb 19 onwards.
For eligible recipients in Peninsular Malaysia, the assistance will be credited monthly at RM100 for households and senior citizens without a spouse, and RM50 for single people.
Meanwhile, for recipients in Sabah, Sarawak, and Labuan, the payment will be transferred in two instalments of RM600 for households and senior citizens without a spouse, and RM300 for single individuals.
The ministry noted that the payments are scheduled on Feb 19 and Aug 12 to the recipient's bank account or handed out in cash at Bank Simpanan Nasional's (BSN) branches nationwide.