KUALA LUMPUR — The  Sumbangan Asas Rahmah (SARA) programme has seen a 99 per cent utilisation rate among nearly nine million monthly Sumbangan Tunai Rahmah (STR) recipients, with spending hitting RM3.45 billion so far this year.

The Ministry of Finance (MOF) also reported that under the SARA Untuk Semua initiative, some 22 million people, or 87 per cent of all recipients, have generated over RM1.77 billion in local market transactions.

“Recipient spending performance is a key gauge of how effectively STR and SARA are easing cost-of-living pressures for low- and middle-income groups.

“It also boosts the local economy through multiplier effects,” the ministry said in a written reply posted on Parliament’s website today.

The reply was in response to Datuk Aminolhuda Hassan (PH-Sri Gading), who had asked about the government’s key performance indicators for the two programmes.

SARA is a cashless aid scheme delivered via MyKad credits, redeemable at registered SARA Rakan Niaga outlets for 15 essential categories, ranging from basic food and personal care items to household cleaning supplies and medicines.