The government plans to expand the Sumbangan Asas Rahmah (SARA) programme by increasing the number of participating sundry shops nationwide, particularly in rural and remote areas, to improve access to essential goods for recipients.
Finance Minister II Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah Azizan said more than 13,500 retail outlets are currently registered under SARA, including over 6,500 sundry shops.
The government is targeting 10,000 participating sundry shops nationwide, with 1,493 outlets already onboard in Sabah.
“The programme is not limited to major towns but extends to villages and interior areas to ensure eligible recipients can redeem assistance more easily,” he said.
Amir Hamzah said the MyKad-based mechanism allows recipients to purchase essential goods directly at participating outlets while creating additional business opportunities for local retailers.
He said products listed under SARA have recorded stronger sales, benefiting small businesses and local entrepreneurs participating in the network.
More than 150,000 products are currently available under the programme nationwide, with the government looking to further expand the product range and retailer participation.
The government is also exploring measures to lower onboarding costs for small retailers, including providing more accessible point-of-sale (POS) systems.
Meanwhile, he said that fresh produce could be included in the programme in the future, subject to quality assurance requirements.
