The Government has raised the maximum payment for Phase 1 of Sumbangan Tunai Rahmah (STR) to RM500 for households from RM300 the year before. With that, the allocation for Phase 1 has surged by 26% to RM2.1 billion from RM1.67 billion in the preceding year to assist the rakyat with the rise in living costs.
Prime Minister and Finance Minister Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim said: “Every time I meet the rakyat, the discussion will invariably turn to living costs outpacing income growth. I understand the sruggle that you have to go through, and therefore, the Government is making all efforts to ensure that the provided assistance will be substantially enhanced so that this bread-and-butter issue can be addressed, and no rakyat will be left behind under the MADANI Government’s administration.”
In a statement issued by the Ministry of Finance today (Jan 26), beginning Monday, 29 January 2024, recipients who have registered on STR’s database will receive their payment for Phase 1 of STR either through their bank accounts, or by cash at Bank Simpanan Nasional (BSN) branches in stages
The payment amounts vary based on the recipients’ eligible categories.
“In line with Ekonomi MADANI’s aim to raise the floor of the rakyat’s quality of life, the Government will prioritise and ensure that low-income households will continue to receive the necessary assistance. The MADANI Government is sensitive to the people’s concerns and will continue to enhance the STR in our efforts to help the rakyat manage the cost of living,” said Anwar.
To date, up to 8.2 million eligible individuals have registered for STR 2024. This amount is expected to rise to nearly 9 million over the course of this year, given that new applications and updates are open throughout the year, as compared with a fixed period previously.
If an applicant’s name is not available on STR’s database, he or she must apply in order to complete a verification process based on the eligible STR category.
The eligibility status of the STR programme and Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) can be found on the STR’s Official portal at https://bantuantunai.hasil.gov.my or https://manfaat.mof.gov.my/.
The public is advised to be wary of unverified links from irresponsible parties when looking for information on the STR programme.
