KUALA LUMPUR, December 7 – The government has strengthened its server infrastructure and expanded the list of participating retailers ahead of the second round of the Sumbangan Asas Rahmah (Sara) one-off aid, set to begin in February 2026.
Treasury secretary-general Datuk Johan Mahmood Merican said the upgrades were made to prevent a repeat of the system congestion seen during the first phase, noting that more than 8,000 shops — including over 2,000 small grocery stores — have now joined the programme.
The improvements aim to ensure smoother redemptions and reduce long queues that marred the initial rollout on August 31.
Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Minister Datuk Armizan Mohd Ali said public feedback continues to be channelled to the Finance Ministry for potential refinements, including calls to widen the list of eligible products and add more participating outlets.
Despite early hiccups, the first phase saw strong uptake, with over 1.84 million Malaysians redeeming RM118.9 million in goods within the first two days. Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim previously confirmed that the second RM100 Sara aid payment will be available to all Malaysian adults under Budget 2026.
