KUALA LUMPUR: Student Yini Azizi, 20, waited until the second day of Ramadan before using her RM100 Sumbangan Asas Rahmah (Sara) aid to purchase essentials.
As her semester had just begun, she said the aid came just in time.
“I bought detergent, soap and other toiletries. I purposely waited a little longer because I wanted to shop at ease.
“I still have some balance left and will use it for personal items,” Yini said when met at a local convenience store here yesterday.
Embassy staff Fazura Ismail, 32, from Kuala Lumpur visited a hypermarket earlier this week to stock up for Ramadan.
“I used the RM100 from Sara to buy groceries for Ramadan. The aid was very helpful as I was able to purchase essentials such as oats, milk, fruits, tofu and noodles without dipping into my savings.
“I prepared overnight oats for myself, and rice and noodles with protein and vegetables for my daughter,” she said.
Cook Nasrul Faris, 28, said he did not need to stock up on groceries for the fasting month as he is single.
He said he will use the RM100 aid to buy staples such as mineral water, instant noodles and bread.
Retiree Khairul Nor Azam, 75, said he has yet to use his RM100 as there is ample time before its expiry on Dec 31.
“Previously, I used my Sara to buy biscuits, tea and rice. This time, I am waiting as there is time to buy what I need. There’s no rush.”
Meanwhile, 99 Speed Mart Retail Holdings Bhd chief operating officer Yong Eng Kwang said based on observations across their outlets, there was a surge of between 20% and 30% in Sara spending in the week leading up to Ramadan.
“We are seeing strong demand in the frozen food category, which is newly included under the Sara initiative.
“Frozen food is popular because it offers convenience and is one of the easiest options for quick sahur preparation.”
Overall, Yong said the trend indicated that customers are planning ahead and focusing on practical, ready-to-prepare food items for the fasting period.
Finance Minister II Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah Azizan said a total of 8.1 million Malaysians have redeemed the RM100 Sara aid so far, with total expenditure reaching almost RM780mil as of Feb 13.
He said the figure was recorded within five days after the assistance was credited into the MyKad of Malaysian citizens on Feb 9.
After taking into account people’s feedback, the Finance Ministry expanded the Sara product category to include frozen food for Sara 2.0.
The public can check their credit status via https://sara.gov.my.
