The RM100 “Sumbangan Asas Rahmah” (Sara) cash assistance may seem modest to some, but it can be a lifeline for families struggling to make ends meet.
Raziah Ismail, 40, from Kota Laksamana, Melaka, turns the aid into kindness, purchasing rice, eggs, oil, sugar, dried vermicelli, and biscuits to give to a family facing hardship rather than using it for herself.
“Just as I did with Sara last year, I used it to help a family in need.”
Raziah, who works in the private sector, told Bernama that she felt fortunate enough and that there were others who needed the aid more.
Fast-food restaurant worker Suzana Sulaiman, 30, is using the aid to buy essentials such as rice, oil, and sugar for break of fast with her family.
“During Ramadan, my four siblings and I usually cook and break our fast at our mother’s house in Bukit Serindit,” she said.
For 56-year-old Lee Ah Hock from Banda Hilir, the aid helped as he prepared for Chinese New Year.
“Some people say RM100 isn’t much, but for me, it goes a long way.
“Since I live alone, it’s not about big meals, but having rice, oil, and eggs is enough,” he said.
Meanwhile, Joyce Tee, 18, from Bukit Baru, who received Sara aid for the first time, said she would use the money to buy kitchen essentials and help her mother save on household expenses.
“I don’t want to buy anything for myself.
“I’m happy just being able to help my mother, even if it’s only a little,” she said.
