KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 4 — The government will review improvements to the implementation of the Sumbangan Asas Rahmah (SARA) aid, including a proposal to expand the scope of permitted goods to include frozen food, says Finance Minister II Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah Azizan.
He said the matter would be discussed with the SARA implementation team to assess the suitability of the proposal before any decision was made.
“God willing, in the future, we will announce the expansion to frozen goods that will be permitted under SARA,” he said when winding up the debate on the motion of thanks for the Royal Address for the Finance Ministry in the Dewan Rakyat today.
On the expansion of the number of retail networks under SARA, Amir Hamzah said the implementation had recorded positive performance, with the number of recognised outlets under the programme increasing from 700 in 2024 to about 10,000 last year, including 3,000 small grocery shops.
He said that earlier this year, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim also announced the government’s aim to increase the number of small grocery shops from 3,000 to 10,000 by the end of this year.
“This implementation will, in turn, enable more small traders and retailers to participate in the SARA scheme,” he said.
Amir Hamzah said the utilisation rate of SARA is excellent, with 99 per cent of recipients facing no problems in using the aid, including in terms of the adequacy of the number of participating outlets.
On the method used for targeted subsidies, he said it is being implemented carefully to ensure the benefits truly reach the deserving.
“In this context, the implementation of BUDI Madani RON95 (BUDI95) is a clear example, whereby RON95 subsidies are channelled in a more targeted manner to reduce leakages and ensure national funds are used for the people’s priorities,” he said.
In this regard, he said the government does not agree with views rejecting the use of MyKad in the disbursement of social aid and subsidies, as the approach ensures the aid is enjoyed only by Malaysians.
