KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 7 — Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said the one-off RM100 Sumbangan Asas Rahmah (Sara) appreciation aid for individuals aged 18 and above is not the sole solution but part of the government’s efforts to address cost-of-living pressures.
The prime minister said the aid, disbursed from August 31, serves as a supplement to the MySara and Sumbangan Tunai Rahmah (STR) programmes implemented to ease the burden of living expenses.
“When we talk about Sara (appreciation aid), indeed some criticise and say ‘what can RM100 do'. But they forget that Sara (one-off) is an addition to the MySara programme and STR. How much have we given to the people? Nine million individuals.
“When I discussed this with my friends abroad, particularly Asean leaders, they asked how, out of a population of 34 million, we could spend RM15 billion to assist nine million people.
"Most of them admitted they could not afford to do the same,” he said in a recorded video speech on Facebook.
Anwar delivered the speech at the closing ceremony of Kedah's Madani Rakyat Programme at the Baling District Council Sports Complex in Baling yesterday.
In his speech yesterday, Anwar said the Sara initiative has earned praise from foreign leaders, although many admitted it would be difficult to replicate.
The Sara appreciation aid, announced in conjunction with National Day 2025, benefits 22 million people and involves an additional funding of RM2 billion.
This brings the total allocation for STR and Sara this year to RM15 billion — the highest in the nation’s cash assistance history.
