KUALA LUMPUR: The government is standing firm on the use of MyKad and the Sumbangan Asas Rahmah (Sara) cashless scheme to channel targeted subsidies and social assistance, saying it helps ensure only Malaysian citizens benefit.
Finance Minister II Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah Azizan said the approach had “very good” acceptance among recipients, with nearly all allocations utilised, and also fostered a stronger sense of nationhood.
“The government does not agree with the view of the Honourable Member for Pasir Salak, who rejects the use of MyKad for social assistance and subsidies. Instead, the government sees using MyKad, which channels assistance and subsidies only to citizens, as nurturing the spirit of nationhood,” he said during winding up the debate on the Motion of Thanks for the Royal Address in the Dewan Rakyat on Wednesday (Feb 4).
“The government greatly appreciates Malaysians who are alert and concerned, who highlight and report through official channels when there is misuse or attempts to ‘break the rules’, especially by non-citizens trying to use subsidised petrol.
"This attitude is not only about defending our rights as citizens, but also reflects a spirit of nationhood – together ensuring that government policies are implemented fairly, with integrity, and in favour of Malaysians,” he added.
Amir Hamzah stressed that Sara was designed to complement existing cash aid, such as Sumbangan Tunai Rahmah (STR), not to replace it.
“Some assistance is given in cash like STR, and some is specifically for the purchase of essential goods through Sara,” he said, adding that almost 99% of Sara allocations had been used nationwide, including in states such as Perlis, Kelantan, Terengganu, Sabah and Sarawak.
He was responding to Puchong MP Yeo Bee Yin, who asked why the government did not provide the full amount of assistance in cash instead of tying part of it to Sara purchases.
Amir Hamzah also said the Sara merchant network had expanded significantly, from about 700 outlets in 2024 to around 10,000 now, with roughly 3,000 of these being small shops. The government is targeting to increase the number of small retailers in the scheme to 10,000 by year-end.
He added that proposals to involve more micro traders and hawkers and to explore voucher-type mechanisms, including digital options, would be studied further by the Sara implementation team.
