The Malaysian government widened the Sumbangan Asas Rahmah (Sara) programme by increasing the number of retail outlets nationwide that accept MyKad transactions, including those in rural and remote areas, to improve aid access for beneficiaries [1, 2]. More than 13,500 shops have registered with Sara across the country, with over 6,500 sundry shops participating. The government targets raising this last figure to 10,000 sundry shops nationwide [1].
In Sabah, 1,493 shops are part of Sara, enabling redemptions throughout the state. Sarawak has over 1,450 premises participating [1, 3, 4]. Finance Minister II Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah Azizan stressed the importance of including local products to benefit aid recipients and entrepreneurs alike, saying, "We want products like these to also be available in stores participating in Sara so that entrepreneurs get a return, retailers benefit, and aid recipients enjoy a wider variety of choices" [3].
However, fresh produce is not yet included because of concerns over quality assurance, said Amir Hamzah: "Fresh items are not included yet because we must ensure the quality of goods provided to recipients" [1]. The government is also exploring ways to reduce onboarding costs for small retailers by improving the accessibility of point-of-sale systems [1].
A parliamentary committee highlighted that small grocery shops and cooperatives in rural and remote regions play critical community roles and need greater access to join Sara. Manndzri Nasib (BN-Tenggara) warned, "If this situation continues, it could result in the economic spillover from government assistance being concentrated among large players, while small retailers and local cooperatives do not receive the benefits they deserve" [2]. The committee urged the government to proactively identify and assist small retailers in joining Sara and noted lengthy approval processes as a barrier [2].
The government also provides targeted aid amounts based on recipients’ household dependents and needs [3, 4]. On June 23, Finance Minister II Amir Hamzah visited a Sara implementation site in Manggatal Baru, Kota Kinabalu, emphasizing how expansion benefits local businesses [1]. The following day, he visited a Sara retail shop in Kuching, highlighting local product inclusion and the targeted aid approach [3, 4]. Meanwhile, the Parliamentary Select Committee on Domestic Trade called for greater participation of small retailers and cooperatives and streamlining Sara application approvals during Dewan Rakyat debates on June 24 [2].
