Cover image via Fath Rizal/Prime Minister’s Office of Malaysia
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The Finance Ministry has announced that Sumbangan Asas Rahmah (SARA) Bulanan will be distributed starting 9 January 2026
It will target five million recipients, comprising 3.7 million households and 1.3 million senior citizens without spouses.
Payments for 3.1 million single individuals will follow on 16 January 2026, with recipients receiving credits ranging from RM50 to RM200 depending on eligibility.
Separately, a one-off RM100 payment under 'SARA untuk Semua' will be disbursed on 9 February 2026 to all Malaysian citizens aged 18 and above, ahead of Ramadan and Chinese New Year. The initiative covers 22 million adults.
The SARA Bulanan programme for 2026 will benefit a total of 8.1 million recipients
According to the Finance Ministry, the programme has a total allocation of RM8 billion, up from 5.4 million recipients and RM5 billion in 2025.
Spending under the programme in 2025 reached nearly 100%, including in rural areas.
The number of small retailers participating in SARA is expected to grow to 10,000 outlets by the end of 2026, supplementing existing supermarket branches, the ministry said.
The SARA untuk Semua programme, introduced in August 2025, recorded a 96% usage rate in 2025, with 21.2 million recipients spending almost RM2.1 billion.
Remaining unspent funds of around RM150 million will be redirected to support vulnerable groups, including residents of shelters, students with disabilities, purchases of medical devices, and the Dapur SISWA initiative to help underprivileged students access food.
In addition, STR Phase 1 payments for 2026 will begin on 20 January
A total of RM1.1 billion will be allocated to 3.7 million households and 1.3 million senior citizens without spouses. Payouts will range from RM100 to RM500, depending on eligibility.
