PUTRAJAYA, 23 July 2025: In an unprecedented move to alleviate the burden of the rising cost of living, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim today announced a one-off RM100 cash aid for every adult Malaysian aged 18 and above. This historic assistance, disbursed via MyKad under the expanded Sumbangan Asas Rahmah (SARA) program, will be available starting August 31st, coinciding with National Day.
The initiative is set to benefit approximately 22 million citizens, with a total allocation of RM2 billion. This brings the combined allocation for Sumbangan Tunai Rahmah (STR) and SARA programs to a record RM15 billion for 2025. This marks the first time in Malaysia’s history that cash aid has been universally extended to all adult citizens, regardless of their household income or other criteria.
The RM100 aid is distributed on an individual basis, meaning a household with multiple adult members could collectively receive more (e.g., RM400 for four adults). It can be utilized from August 31st until December 31st, 2025, for the purchase of essential goods at over 4,100 participating outlets nationwide, including major supermarkets like Mydin, Lotus’s, Econsave, and 99Speedmart, covering more than 90,000 items across 14 categories. Prime Minister Anwar stated that any unspent funds by year-end will be reallocated towards assistance programs for vulnerable groups in the coming year, emphasizing that those who are financially secure do not need to feel compelled to spend the aid.
