KUALA LUMPUR: The government is defending its use of MyKad and the Sumbangan Asas Rahmah (Sara) cashless scheme to channel subsidies, pointing to almost full utilisation of allocations as proof that recipients are comfortable with the system.
Finance Minister II Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah Azizan (pic) said the approach has “very good” acceptance, with nearly all allocations utilised, and also fosters 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 the use of MyKad, which channels assistance and subsidies only to citizens, as nurturing the spirit of nationhood,” he said during the winding up of the debate on the Motion of Thanks for the Royal Address in the Dewan Rakyat yesterday.
“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 schemes 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.
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 being small shops.
The government is targeting to increase the number of small retailers in the scheme to 10,000 by year-end.
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.
