PETALING JAYA - Malaysians are happy as the second round of the RM100 Sumbangan Asas Rahmah (Sara) aid has started, but many want more – not just in terms of quantum but also item coverage.
The biggest complaint is that the money, credited into the MyKad of all Malaysian adults, cannot be used to buy fresh food items.
Frozen food has been included in this second round of Sara aid.
Former kindergarten teacher Chang Juat Hwa, 75, said she had not used the aid even the first time around.
“Essential items such as meat, fish and vegetables are still excluded. The government should increase both the amount and the list of eligible items to better reflect people’s needs.
“If they improve it, people will use it, but otherwise the money may end up wasted because for some of us, it does not match what we actually need,” she said when met at a hypermarket here yesterday.
Some 22 million Malaysians aged 18 and above had RM100 credited into their MyKad yesterday.
The money can be used at more than 10,000 grocery outlets nationwide until Dec 31.
Mohamad Elya Arif Abd Wahab, 37, a gym branch manager in Petaling Jaya, was shopping with his elderly parents yesterday to stock up on household necessities ahead of Ramadan.
He welcomed the government’s move to expand the list of eligible items by including frozen food.
He noted that the RM100 credit provides only limited relief given current prices, with his monthly grocery expenses reaching between RM500 and RM600.
Retiree Nancy Cheong, 73, said the aid would help ease expenses ahead of Chinese New Year, although the amount was modest.
She too said expanding the list would make the aid more practical for older recipients who may not need much staples.
“We do not cook that much anymore and we do not need a lot of rice or butter. Having more choices would allow us to buy what we really need,” she said.
For small trader Sujita Anbalaghan, 46, who supports a household of 10, said the aid helped reduce financial pressure despite being insufficient to cover her monthly grocery expenses exceeding RM1,000.
“All of us in the family receive it, so it really helps. Everything is expensive now,” said Sujita, who also wanted to see fresh produce added to the list.
Last month, it was reported that the list of essential items under Sara would be updated by mid-February and would likely include fresh produce before Ramadan. - THE STAR