malaysiangKUALA LUMPUR, The increased allocation for the Rahmah Cash Assistance (STR) initiative from RM8 billion in 2023 to RM10 billion under Budget 2024 reflects the government’s commitment to continue to reduce the daily cost of living among the less fortunate.
The increased STR rate has benefited over eight million less fortunate Malaysians and most recipients have described the aid as being extremely beneficial and has eased their burden in facing the rising cost of living.
Fifty-year-old Norazila Daud, a single mother to six children, said she uses the SRT cash aid she receives to purchase essential items for her family.
“I often plan my expenses in detail, especially when the STR is disbursed… it is very helpful in meeting my family’s necessities.
“Sometimes, it’s difficult to judge my children’s needs, such as school expenses or purchasing exercise books and sports attire. But, through the STR payment, I can always get them for my children,’ she said when contacted by Bernama.
As for 29-year-old Mohammad
Izwan Firdaus, a STR recipient under the bachelor category, he described the government assistance as a “ray of hope’ for Malaysians like him, who are self-employed, to meet their daily needs.
The e-hailing driver also welcomed the initiative and expressed his gratefulness when the government announced the increase in the STR allocation.
“My kind of ‘freelance’ job does not ensure a steady income, sometimes I earn more, at other times I earn less. The STR has helped me manage my daily expenses, such as purchasing fuel, food and other necessities. I was relieved when the STR was increased because now every single sen is meaningful, especially when the cost of living is rising,’ he said.
He said that he used to have a job with a steady income but had to switch to being self-employed due to his company’s restructuring exercise.
He added that the STR initiative not only provided financial relief, it also showed that the government understands the hardship faced by those who are self-employed and who do not ha
ve a steady income or strong social security support.
Thirty-seven-year-old trader Rohaiza Malik, meanwhile, described the increased STR aid as a crucial form of support from the government to help ease the burden of small traders like her, whose income has been badly affected by the rising prices of raw materials.
Rohaiza, a single mother to a child with cerebral palsy, also said that the increased STR payment helped ease her monthly financial commitments.
“Previously, almost half of my earnings from selling frozen curry puffs would be used to buy disposal diapers and medicines for my child. With the STR increased, I can use it to ease my burden a little and even save some to meet the costs of his weekly therapy sessions,’ she said.
Rohaida, who is also a recipient of the Sumbangan Asas Rahmah (SARA) programme under the Finance Ministry, is also grateful for the assistance she receives.
“With the increased STR rate through SARA, I can purchase necessities like rice, oil and kitchen items by using just m
y MyKad.
“This assistance is more than sufficient for me because, when it comes to mid-month, things can be very challenging as I will be short of funds to purchase goods. So, this cash aid comes in very handy. Who else is going to lend us a hand if not the government?,’ she said.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced under Budget 2024 that the STR allocation had been increased by RM2 billion or 25 per cent from RM8 billion in 2023 to RM10 billion, thus benefiting 60 per cent of the country’s adult population.
In line with Budget 2024, the government introduced SARA by crediting RM100 into the MyKad of 200,000 STR recipients for a year, where the recipients only need to go to sundry shops to purchase essential items using just their MyKad.
Source: BERNAMA News Agency
