200,000 less-fortunate individuals will receive RM600 starting Monday

PUTRAJAYA - A total of 200,000 Sumbangan Tunai Rahmah (STR) recepients categorised as poor based on e-kasih data will receive Sumbangan Asas Rahmah (Sara) ammounting to RM600 starting on Monday.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said the aid was given through the Social Protection for People in Need implemented as an initial step in realising the Madani Economic Narrative before the tabling of the 2024 Madani Budget.

“Details of the Sara Programme will be announced soon,” he said in a speech at the 2024 Budget engagement session here on Friday.

He said the government bears 80 per cent of the Social Security Organisation (Socso) contributions.

“The initiative was to encourage the gig economy workers to make contributions by allocating RM100 million,” he said.

Anwar who is the finance minister said the Madani Medical Scheme was also introduced specifically for the B40 group to gain treatments from clinics and general practitioners (GPs) with an allocation of RM100 million.

“Looking at the encouraging reception and effectiveness of the scheme, the government has agreed to extend the implementation to seven more states in high population cities like Klang, Johor Bahru and Kuching,” he said.