STR PHASE 4 PAYMENT BEGINS TOMORROW, AHEAD OF DEEPAVALI - MOF

PUTRAJAYA, Oct 17 (Bernama) -- A total of 8.8 million recipients of the Sumbangan Tunai Rahmah (STR) will receive their Phase 4 STR 2025 payments starting tomorrow (Oct 18), ahead of the Deepavali celebration, earlier than the original schedule in mid-November.

The Ministry of Finance (MOF) said that for this phase, the government has allocated RM2 billion, with payment rates of up to RM700, depending on the category.

The amount also includes 200,000 new applicants who have been approved for the STR Phase 4 payment, which will be disbursed starting Nov 13.

“Compared with Phase 1 in January 2025, the number of Phase 4 recipients has increased by 500,000 individuals and households, from 8.3 million previously, following the MADANI Government’s decision to allow new applications and appeals throughout the year,” said the MOF in a statement.

The MOF added that the MADANI Government will continue to keep registration for STR and Sumbangan Asas Rahmah (SARA) 2026 open throughout the year to ensure more Malaysians have the opportunity to benefit from the government’s assistance programmes.

Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, in the same statement, said the MADANI Government remains committed to ensuring that assistance through the country’s revenue distribution benefits Malaysians across all levels of society.

“It is hoped that the distribution of STR 2025 Phase 4 will provide some financial relief ahead of the Deepavali celebration,” he said.

During the tabling of the Fourth MADANI Budget on Oct 10, Anwar announced that the total allocation for STR and SARA will reach RM15 billion in 2026.

For existing recipients, their data will be automatically integrated into the government database, along with information from relevant agencies, for a review of STR and SARA 2026 eligibility based on the prescribed criteria.

This approach also helps reduce the risk of exclusion and ensures that government assistance continues to reach the intended target groups.

STR applicants can refer to the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) section on the official STR portal at https://bantuantunai.hasil.gov.my for more information. Payment status and approval checks can also be made through the same link.

-- BERNAMA