IPOH, Dec 26 (Bernama) -- The nearly 100 per cent uptake of Bantuan Asas Rahmah (SARA) in several states underscores its role in supporting recipients’ daily needs.
SARA recipients can now choose from a wider range of items, making the aid more flexible and practical.
For retired policeman Mohd Noor Mohd Yusoff, 68, from Taman Chemor Sejahtera, the expanded list of items under SARA eases the daily expenses he previously paid out of his own pocket.
“At first, available items were limited. Now essentials like biscuits and canned foods, including sardines, are included,” he told Bernama when met at a supermarket here.
A SARA recipient since its launch, Mohd Noor said he received about RM1,100 in aid this year, including special top-ups.
“The monthly aid helps me manage expenses better, allowing my pension to cover my wife’s medical needs after her stroke,” he said.
Meanwhile, former engineer Dzahar Yaakub, 67, said the one-off RM100 Appreciation Aid under SARA gives households with multiple recipients more spending flexibility.
“Although it’s RM100 per person, in a household with several recipients, the amount can be combined for groceries and is very helpful. If it’s not enough, we top it up,” he said.
For private-sector worker Anuar Nazeri, 53, SARA not only helps with household groceries but also eases the burden on families with children pursuing studies.
“The R200 I received was spent on groceries such as cooking oil, rice and other essentials, while my 19-year-old used the RM100 aid for needs at the polytechnic,” he said.
On Dec 18, Finance Minister II Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah Azizan said Perlis, Perak, Kelantan, Terengganu, Kedah, Pahang and the Federal Territory of Labuan recorded an average SARA utilisation rate of nearly 100 per cent.
By then, nearly 5.6 million SARA recipients had used their MyKad to buy essentials, with a 99 per cent usage rate and RM4.59 billion spent.
Meanwhile, over 20 million of the 22 million adult one-off SARA recipients, or 92 per cent, have spent more than RM1.91 billion.
-- BERNAMA
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