Malaysians adults who are not receiving the monthly Sumbangan Tunai Rahmah (STR) assistance will receive a total of RM200 in Sumbangan Asas Rahmah (SARA) assistance next year.
Under the SARA MADANI 2027 programme, RM100 provided ahead of Hari Raya Aidilfitri and another RM100 will be given in conjunction with National Day.
Meanwhile, STR recipients will receive SARA assistance of up to RM150 per month, equivalent to RM1,800 annually.
The announcement was made by Prime Minister and Finance Minister Anwar Ibrahim during the tabling of Budget 2027. The government is increasing its total allocation for STR and SARA to RM16 billion, up from RM15 billion in 2026.
RM100 SARA assistance to be given twice in 2027
Under Budget 2027, Malaysians aged 18 and above who are not STR recipients will receive RM100 in SARA MADANI assistance on two separate occasions.
The first RM100 payment will be disbursed ahead of Hari Raya Aidilfitri (March 2027), while the second RM100 payment will be provided in conjunction with Malaysia’s 70th National Day celebrations in August 2027.
This means eligible Malaysians, including those in the M40 income group, will receive a total of RM200 in SARA assistance throughout 2027.
As with the existing SARA programme, the assistance is expected to be credited to recipients’ MyKad, which can be used to purchase eligible essential goods at participating retailers.
According to the government, the SARA MADANI 2027 initiative will benefit up to 13 million Malaysians.
STR recipients to get up to RM150 SARA per month
For Malaysians who are eligible for Sumbangan Tunai Rahmah (STR), the government will continue providing monthly SARA assistance of up to RM150.
This is equivalent to a maximum of RM1,800 annually, with the programme expected to benefit up to nine million STR recipients.
The actual monthly assistance amount is depended on the recipient’s eligibility category.
SARA can be used to buy fresh produce at FAMA markets
A major update is the expansion of SARA to cover fresh produce and perishable food items which has been requested by a lot of recipients.
The government will allow SARA recipients to use their allocated credit to purchase fresh produce at 216 farmers’ markets and Tamu markets nationwide under the Federal Agricultural Marketing Authority (FAMA).
With this expansion, SARA recipients will have more options to purchase fresh produce, beyond packaged and processed goods.
More small grocery shops to accept SARA
Besides expanding the range of eligible products, the government is also increasing the number of small grocery shops participating in the SARA programme.
Currently, there are approximately 15,000 participating SARA business partners nationwide, including 6,800 small grocery shops and cooperatives.
Under Budget 2027, the government aims to increase the number of participating small grocery shops to 10,000 next year.
This will allow more neighbourhood grocery shops to participate in the SARA programme while giving recipients more locations to utilise their credit.
Further details on the implementation of the expanded SARA programme, including participating FAMA markets and eligibility requirements, are expected to be announced closer to the disbursement.
