PUTRAJAYA: The Finance Ministry announces that payouts under Phase 2 of the Sumbangan Tunai Rahmah (STR) cash aid programme will begin on March 10 and be credited in stages to 5.2 million recipients.
Its Minister, who is also the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, said the early disbursement is expected to help millions of Malaysians prepare for the upcoming Hari Raya Aidilfitri celebrations.
He said the number of recipients under Phase 2 has increased to 5.2 million compared with five million in Phase 1.
“For Phase 2, the government has allocated RM1.3bil, up from RM1.1bil disbursed in Phase 1 in January,” he said in a statement on Monday (March 9).
The Finance Minister said the allocation includes 200,000 newly approved recipients, who will begin receiving payments from March 30.
He said, overall, Phase 2 of the STR assistance will benefit 3.8 million households and 1.4 million senior citizens without spouses, with payments ranging from RM100 to RM600, depending on eligibility categories.
Anwar said the expansion of recipients would enable more Malaysians to benefit from the government’s social assistance initiatives, particularly as the country approaches Aidilfitri.
“Through STR, Sumbangan Asas Rahmah (SARA) as well as SARA Untuk Semua, the Madani government continues its efforts to ensure that the nation’s wealth is shared and enjoyed by the people, especially those in need,” he said.
For 2026, the total allocation for STR and SARA stands at RM15bil, the highest in the history of the Federal Government.
He said the Finance Ministry has also reminded the public to be cautious of fake links and scams, advising them to refer only to the official STR portal for accurate information.
Further details and frequently asked questions are available at the official portal: https://bantuantunai.hasil.gov.my
