PENAMPANG: The Sumbangan Asas Rahmah (Sara) for All aid channelled to all Malaysians starting Monday (Feb 9) has brought relief to a family here, as the assistance received was used to purchase four sacks of rice weighing 40kg and other essential items in preparation for the Chinese New Year.
Housewife Angele Atik, 26, from Penampang, said she bought rice in bulk along with several other food and beverage items such as coffee, soy sauce and various sauces to ease early festive preparations.
She said the one-off Sara assistance received by her and her husband helps cover part of their overall Chinese New Year expenses, which usually reach around RM500.
"I found out about the one-off Sara aid for all Malaysians in early February. So I planned our budget to ensure this assistance could be used as best as possible for Chinese New Year preparations because both my husband and I each received RM100.
"Therefore, RM200 from the Sara aid was used to buy essential items as preparation. This initiative has, to some extent, helped ease our expenses for celebrating the festival this time," she told Bernama when met at a supermarket here Monday.
Sharing similar gratitude, student Clarissa Diane Matin, 23, also from Penampang, described the Sara aid she received for the second time as an initiative that also provides relief to students facing rising prices.
The Universiti Malaysia Sarawak student said the RM100 assistance enables students like her to purchase food items at the college such as canned food and packaged drinks, allowing food costs to be redirected to other expenses.
"I hope initiatives like this will continue in the future to help students cope with the increasingly challenging cost of living," she said.
The same hope was voiced by private retiree Somuil Longis, 63, from Inanam, who wants the effort to continue so that more Malaysians can benefit.
"The Sara aid for all is good news. If husband and wife can get RM200, then this initiative helps us to buy kitchen essentials such as rice and cooking oil," he said.
He added that the disbursement of the Sara aid was timely as most supermarkets are offering promotional discounts, enabling families to buy more necessities.
Sara for All began to be disbursed Monday to more than 22 million Malaysian MyKad holders aged 18 and above, which can be used at registered shops to purchase selected essential items until Dec 31 this year. - Bernama
