PETALING JAYA: The Sumbangan Tunai Rahmah (STR) Phase 4, totalling RM2bil, will be distributed earlier while a 50% toll discount will be provided in conjunction with Deepavali celebrations.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said the STR payment, originally scheduled for November, will now be disbursed starting Oct 18 to ease the financial burden of Indian families celebrating the festival.
"For 2024, the government allocated a total of RM13bil for both the STR and Sumbangan Asas Rahmah (SARA) programmes, benefiting nearly nine million recipients nationwide.
"As of now, STR Phases 1 to 3 have already been paid out, amounting to RM6bil," he said in his Budget 2026 speech.
In addition to the early STR payment, the government has also approved a 50% toll discount for two days in conjunction with the Deepavali holiday, aimed at easing travel for Malaysians returning to their hometowns, he said.
These initiatives reflect the government's ongoing commitment to supporting the rakyat, particularly lower-income households, during major festive seasons," he said.
